Australia / England

This is the big question about that Steve Smith run-out

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Steve Smith, legs ajar, losing his wicket (via ICC video)

2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final, Australia v England

This is how it definitely started: Chris Woakes bowled a short slower ball. Steve Smith missed the pull and bodied it down the leg-side. He tried to run a leg bye.

This how it definitely continued: Jos Buttler scuttled round to the ball, shedding a glove as he went, scooped it up and threw.

This is how it definitely finished: The ball passed between Steve Smith’s legs, hit the stumps and he was run out.

Now here’s what we don’t know and what we absolutely need to know: Did Jos Buttler call the nutmeg? Did he follow schoolboy sporting protocol and shout “Megs!”

Because if he didn’t, we’d be kind of disgusted and maybe don’t even want England to win the World Cup any more. That’s how serious this is.

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28 comments

  1. What if he called ‘nuts’ instead of ‘megs’ (or even ‘olé’) ? Would that be acceptable?

    1. Really not sure, but it would definitely be better than not calling it at all.

  2. Watching live i was so confused when it actually hit the stumps, it looked like that was a physically impossible outcome.

  3. It looks like Jason Roy is trying to draw pictures or write his name like a child with a sparkler – what other reason can there be for this?

    1. Once he’s had a few minutes to calm down, he’ll realise he’s basically got himself to blame – could have talked YJB out of the review…

  7. There’s a case to be made for taking the reviews out of the team’s hands and putting them directly into the hands of the TV umpires.
    Every wicket (to start with) should be reviewed by default. You can then step in when stuff like this happens and ask the umpire to reverse the decision. Just like VAR in football, but because cricket relies on ‘flow’ a lot less, it will work far better here.

    And we will go back to the umpire’s decision being final (regardless of whether that’s the on field umpire or the TV review umpire).

    1. I also don’t quite understand why umpires confidently give decisions like this, but will refer to the third umpire for a run out appeal where the batsman has made his ground so comfortably that he’s almost run past the stumps by the time the ball hits them.

  10. Did that really happen? Did we really just thrash the Aussies with more than 100 balls to spare?!

    The sign, the sign! Church of King Cricket…

    1. Please excuse the vulgar caps. I am rather excitable and may well have had a few ales.

    1. It jolly well was. I’m not sure which element I’m most happy about. England getting into a world cup final, England beating the Aussies in a must win game or England having a bowling attack that look like they could replace the wonderful but rather geriatric Anderson and Broad.

  15. So, how is everyone planning to get rid of your families for eight hours on Sunday?

    1. I have to take my 8 year old for a birthday party. But it is at his friend’s house and I know his friend’s dad is a fan. So maybe we’ll have a strategically placed TV. Here’s hoping.

    2. Our 2nd child is due on the 15th (NZ Time). Surely my wife wont notice if I’m in front of the TV/earphones in during the labour/birth???

      My wife and I “agreed” several weeks ago that if NZ win the World Cup and baby arrives on the day of the final then the baby shall be named Martin Henry Kane Ross Tom Jimmy Colin Mitchell Matt Lockie Trent Lbking. At the beginning of the tournament he could have ended up with 2 Colins in his middle names but sadly that will most likely not be the case.

      2. New Zealand should pick a second Colin and then ask England to concede. They’d probably oblige if they heard what was at stake.

      3. As previously documented on this here website, my youngest daughter was born during a big match. By rights we should have called her Ian Ronald Jonathan.

  17. I have had a very frustrating day, in which I was subjected to the indignity of needing to work rather than watch cricket. Something’s gone badly wrong.

    Anyway, I have just seen the highlights and can confirm that Buttler shouts “your end” as he throws.

    “Your end” is the soft southerner public school equivalent of shouting “megs”. The term, “your end” is advising the batsman to take care of his anus, lest the ball strikes him there.

    Some prefer the more neutral expression, “shove it up yer arse”, but I went to posh school on a scholarship so I can’t spake like that.

    England are the best cricket team in the whole world.

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