England fumes about another controversial dismissal. This time they might have a point

Former fast bowler Steve Harmison said “the game’s gone” after an England player was controversially given out obstructing the field during the under-19 World Cup.

Hamza Shaikh, England’s No.4 batsman, was given out for one against Zimbabwe after he picked up a stationary ball and threw it gently to Ryan Kamwemba, saving the Zimbabwean wicketkeeper from collecting the ball himself.

Kamwemba then appealed for Shaikh to be out obstructing the field, and the batsman was given out in Potchefstroom.

“If you are getting given out for that, that’s it, the game’s gone,” said Harmison, the former England fast bowler, who is now a commentator for TalkSport. “It really has. How can an umpire give that out?”

Former England bowler Stuart Broad, who was strongly critical of Australia about the controversial run out of Jonny Bairstow during the Ashes, also weighed in on the incident.

“Oh get a grip. He’s passing a stationary ball back to the fielder? Doing him a favour! Cant give that out,” Broad said on X.

A clause in law 37 of the Laws of the Game outlines how a player can be out obstructing the field. It reads: “Either batter is out Obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder.”

By this reading of the laws, Shaikh was given out, even though the batsman appeared to be trying to help Kamwemba by throwing him the ball.