Watch: Carlos Brathwaite penalised for ‘unfair play’ in Vitality Blast – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

We often see bowlers throwing the ball at the batter to attempt a run-out, in their follow-through, but do not see the bowler being penalised for careless attitude or inappropriate behaviour.

However, the cricket field is a theatre for newer and unique portrayals and the cricketers, the performers. In a unique incident, West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite was penalised for five runs after he threw the ball at opposition batter Wayne Madsen in an attempt to run him out, in the Vitality Blast on Sunday.

The incident unfolded in the 13th over of the second innings of the match between Birmingham Bears and Derbyshire at Edgbaston. Madsen played a good-length delivery back toward Brathwaite, who collected the ball in his follow-through and immediately took a shy at the stumps. However, Madsen came out of the crease just for a second and immediately grounded his bat before Brathwaite could turn around and throw the ball. The ball however hit Madsen’s bat handle and deflected for overthrows.

Brathwaite immediately apologized to Madsen, but the latter was not happy with the throw and gestured to the leg umpire in a complaining manner. Brathwaite in the meanwhile was seen complaining to the standing umpire, probably defending himself that he took a shy at the stumps since Madsen stepped out of the crease.

The two umpires Steve O’Shaughnessy and Ben Debenham, after a brief conference, ruled in favour of the batting side. Brathwaite was penalized for a Level 2 offence under Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Laws pertaining to ‘Unfair Play’. Derbyshire, poised at 111 for the loss of just one wicket in a 160-run chase was awarded five penalty runs.

Law 42.3.1 dealing with such incidents states, “throwing the ball at a player, umpire or another person in an inappropriate and dangerous manner.” Interestingly, such a rule is not a part of the playing conditions in international cricket or other franchise-based T20 tournaments such as the IPL or the Big Bash League.

A similar offence would be treated with a demerit point in international cricket and a code-of-conduct warning in an IPL match. A monetary penalty would be probable at both levels. Contrary to the practice, the Vitality Blast and the PSL have adopted the MCC Law.

Madsen too was unhappy with Brathwaite’s gesture and he made it clear after the match.

“The umpires deemed Carlos Brathwaite’s throw reckless and that is what it was. I was in my crease and he didn’t even look. I know it’s a competitive game but if that had hit me on the back of the head, like the umpires said, there is real trouble.

“Because I was back in my crease before he had even released the ball, it was a bit reckless,” Madsen told the ECB Reporters Network.

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