MCC makes major change to law on boundary catches: Reports

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced a key change to the law pertaining to catches taken near the boundary rope. As per the new regulation, an airborne fielder can only touch the ball once when beyond the boundary ropes. The fielder will then need to come back into the field of play to complete the catch.

As per the earlier law, a fielder could throw the ball up in the air multiple times beyond the boundary provided he/she is airborne when in contact with the ball. The law became a matter of debate after Michael Neser pulled off a spectacular catch during BBL 2023. However, the fact that the rules allowed him to palm the ball up in the air a second time while beyond the ropes was questioned by some.

As per a report in ESPNcricinfo, the updated rule on boundary catches will be included in the ICC's playing conditions this month and will subsequently be integrated into MCC's laws in October 2026.

Before Neser's catch in BBL 2023, Matt Renshaw also came up with a spectacular fielding effort in the 2020 edition to dismiss Matthew Wade in a match at The Gabba. Renshaw lobbed the ball back into play for Tom Banton to complete a catch even as he landed outside the boundary ropes.

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MCC brings in similar rule for relay catches as well

While players have individually pulled off some spectacular catches on the ropes in recent years, especially in T20 cricket, the instances of relay catches are also on the rise. Fielders take a catch near the ropes and smartly palm the ball to a nearby teammate before their momentum takes them over the ropes.

As per ESPNcricinfo, this will not be allowed as per the updated MCC rule. The new regulation in case of relay catches states that the fielder who has touched the ball outside the boundary must jump back into the field of play even when the catch is being completed by a teammate. If the fielder is beyond the ropes when the other player completes the catch, it will count as a boundary.