Watch: David Bedingham escapes ‘Handling the Ball’ dismissal in WTC Final
Published - 12 Jun 2025, 06:18 PM | Updated - 12 Jun 2025, 06:20 PM
Table of Contents
South Africa National Cricket Team batter David Bedingham found himself at the center of controversy on Day 2 of the ongoing Final 2025 against the Australia National Cricket Team at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
In a strange and dramatic moment during the WTC Final 2025, David Bedingham faced a sharp delivery from Beau Webster. The ball nipped back in and caught the inside edge of Bedingham’s bat before awkwardly getting stuck in his pad, and then the real drama began.
Australia appeal, but David Bedingham escapes controversial dismissal in WTC Final 2025
As the Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey moved in to collect the ball, Bedingham casually reached into his pad, pulled the ball out, and dropped it on the ground. That’s when confusion erupted as Usman Khawaja instantly appealed for "handling the ball" and left everyone shocked, including the commentators and the umpires at Lord’s.
Read Also: Watch- Marnus Labuschagne takes off to grab a 1-hand blinder of Temba Bavuma
Umpire Richard Illingworth quickly walked over to his colleague Chris Gaffaney for a discussion as Steve Smith, Alex Carey, and others were waiting for the decision. After a short discussion, Richard Illingworth signaled "not out," putting an end to the brief but intense suspense.
Even the former Australian cricketer and commentator Matthew Hayden clarified the situation for viewers from the commentary box, saying that the ball is considered dead once it gets lodged in the pad. Matthew Hayden said on air, “The ball is considered dead once it gets lodged in the pad.”
Watch the dramatic inccident here:
View this post on Instagram
However, this incident sparked debate, with many questioning whether David Bedingham should have been given out for handling the ball or the ball fully dead before the batter took it out of his pads. However, they moved on, and David Bedingham was allowed to continue his business.
Read Also: Shubman Gill-Gautam Gambhir involved in a fight for these 2 players in England
What are the rules?
Notably, former England captain Michael Vaughan was given out in a similar situation during a Test against India, long before the rules changed. Since 2017, such dismissals fall under “Obstructing the Field” according to Law 37.3.1.
The rule says, “If the delivery is not a no-ball, the striker is out for obstructing the field if willful obstruction or distraction by either batter prevents the striker from being caught out.”
Another important law is 20.1.1.4, which states the ball becomes dead if it gets stuck between the bat and the batter’s body or clothing, which means play stops automatically at that point. The law 20.1.1.4 states, “Whether played or not, it becomes trapped between the bat and person of a batter or between items of his/her clothing or equipment.”
Well, David Bedingham can be dangerous for Australia, considering his red-ball stats in England. He has scored 4463 runs in 58 matches at an average of 57.21, including 16 hundreds.
In the 2024 County Championship, he finished as the second-highest run-getter with 1331 runs at a brilliant average of 78.29. His six centuries were the most by any player in the tournament.
Tagged:
David Bedingham Alex Carey AUS vs SA SA vs AUS Australia National Cricket Team South Africa National Cricket Team ICC World Test Championship South Africa Vs Australia Australia vs South AfricaAbout the Author
Rashmi Wasnik is a passionate content writer with over a decade of experience. She started her journ... Read more
