Run out rule change in focus, again

For the second time in three days, a batsman has been given out despite the bulk of his body having crossed the plane of the crease.

Dinesh Chandimal did initially ground his bat behind the crease as he sauntered in to complete a second run, in the 26th over, but he briefly raised it again as his body passed the line. His feet, however, did not touch the ground before the bails were dislodged.

Collecting a good throw from deep point, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim snapped the bails off and appealed - if without much conviction. The Bangladesh fielders had actually returned to their fielding positions while third umpire S Ravi reviewed the footage, but were ecstatic at having wangled an important wicket when the decision came through.

It was only on Thursday that Evin Lewis was run out in similar circumstances in at T20 against Pakistan in the Port-of-Spain. On that occasion, however, a collision had seen Lewis lose grip of his bat, and had contributed to his inability to ground some part of his body.

And the Chandimal run out was also the second such dismissal Bangladesh have effected this year, with Neil Wagner having been dismissed this way in a Test match in January. Wagner had also grounded his bat, then raised it before the stumps were broken.

The run out rule is about to change, however. From October, a batsman who has grounded his bat behind the crease before the bails are broken, cannot be given out even if the bat is later raised (provided it is clear the batsman is not attempting another run). Neither Wagner or Chandimal would have been out under that rule.