Catch obstructed

"In a recent friendly match with player/umpires, the batsman went to pull the ball but he top-edged it and it went straight up in the air. The wicket-keeper ran up to make a catch but, just before he could do so, the striker, thinking the ball was going to drop on to his wicket, hit the ball away with his bat. The wicket-keeper appealed and the batsman was given out. Most of the players did know the reason for the dismissal but they felt the batsman should be given out. What was the reason for the dismissal, Hit the ball twice or Obstructing the field?"

A batsman is entitled to hit the ball more than once if doing so solely in defence of his wicket.

The umpire gave him out in this instance not because he had hit the ball again but because he had prevented a possible catch from being taken therefore he was obstructing the field. The umpire does not have to consider the relative difficulty of any possible catch.



Read more about Law 37 (Obstructing the field) at the MCC website