All Stoked Up .

[bwildered]

Ben Stokes given out obstructing the field from throw from Starc during 2nd ODI at Lords .

[mawallace]

I was at Lords yesterday. From where I was sitting, looking straight on it was a clear "not out".

There was no way that he was "wilfully" obstructing the field!

[galboy]

Smith had a minor point when he said if you go by the letter of the law then it's out. However, sometimes an element of sportsmanship has to come into play. The Aussies should never have appealed and deep down they will know that they have ballsed up.

Are we now going to have amateur players all around the world hurling balls at batsmen who then defend it away and get given out?

[bwildered]

Well gents , going to upset the apple cart,  watched it live on Sky, the throw was not at his body and looked like it was heading for the stumps .
Thought he was OUT .

[Andy]

NOT OUT. Simple.

It looks like Stokes puts hand to ball because we know the trajectory of the ball, but in that split second when Starc throws the ball Stokes is defending himself and trying to get back in his crease.

In comparison to Gooch in 1993 - the latter was not in any sense trying to evade the ball but intentionally defending his wicket as the ball came down.  In that sense, although Gooch could not be accused of cheating, as it was a split second decision, and he rightly didn't question the appeal and decision.

We often see bowlers hurl (or threaten to hurl) the ball at the stumps.  I would expect that when we get the chance we should throw it at Smith's head...

I thought that a country that buried Phillip Hughes after being hit on the back of the head would show some awareness that when a ball is bowled/hurled at someone they tend to put their hands out.

Shame on the Aussies.

[vim]

I have voted not out.

The former umpire Don Oslear published a book explaining the various methods of dismissal. In his book he stated that the four unusual methods of dismissal are so tightly covered by the laws that being given out is almost impossible.

The method of dismissal, timed out for example. It is out only if the batsman wilfully takes his time. So getting locked in the lavatory, taking the wrong route does not count. However an incident in India, where the umpires said that the batsman would rather carry on his conversation with other players and spectators rather than come to the wicket was out.

[tonk]

Rank bad decision by the umpires.On the fields should not have referred it and the third should have watched in in actual time not slow mo-Starc was at the end on his follow thru and Stokes was a couple of paces down the track so the ball was probably thrown from about 15 yards it was obvious self defence and his head was turned when his hand made contact so to handle it when he was not looking at it would make him something special.