Aust pull off bizarre dismissal in ODI

David Warner said it was a freakish act and George Bailey says it would be really sad if it was taken away.

Steve Smith put himself on highlight reels for years to come at Abu Dhabi on Sunday night, sprinting from slip to leg slip to complete a brilliant catch while Pakistan’s batsman Fawad Alam wondered what had just happened.

The left-hander had taken block to face spinner Xavier Doherty during the 18th over of Pakistan’s innings in the one-day clash.

Smith noticed the batsman preparing to play a sweep shot and after the bowler released the ball, Smith ran to leg slip to accept what in the end was a simple chance.

Both on-field umpires conferred before Fawad was adjudged out for a duck with the team’s total on 3-80.

But Fawad wasn’t finished and remained on the boundary line to seek clarification from a match official before finally walking off, hitting the boundary rope with his bat in frustration.

Under playing conditions adopted by the ICC on October 1, a fielder is entitled to move before the ball reaches the batsman as long as it’s in response to the shot the batsman is shaping to play.

“I’m aware the rule has changed and to be honest, as it should,” Australia captain Bailey said.

“As a batsman you’re allowed to switch-hit, you’re allowed to do whatever you like.

“All he’s done is anticipate where the ball’s going to go.

“As a cricket lover, you’re just moving well in the field aren’t you?

“It would be really sad if that went out of the game because I think that’s a spectacle.

“That’s a great thing to be able to see.

“I could tell there was confusion because the umpires came together.

“We knew the rule had changed. We were comfortable with the decision.”

Warner told Sydney’s Big Sports Breakfast radio that his teammate showed great awareness.

Smith had told wicketkeeper Brad Haddin: “He’s going to try and lap (sweep) here, one of these balls, and I’m going to try and stop it.”

Warner said: “And that ball, it actually happened, so it was a bit of a freak thing.

“Lucky it didn’t go to first slip,” Warner said.

THE RULE

The new law, as quoted from the ICC Match Officials’ ODI Almanac 2014-15, which was used for the first time in this series: “As long as the movement of a close catching fielder is in response to the striker’s actions (the shot he is about to play or shaping to play), then movement is permitted before the ball reaches the striker.”

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