During the second Test against Bangladesh, South Africa received a rare five-run penalty due to batsmen Wiaan Mulder and Senuran Muthusamy running down the protected area of the pitch. This violation resulted in Bangladesh starting their innings with a score of 5-0. South Africa declared their first innings at 575-6, while Bangladesh faced difficulties in their batting response.
In a rare occurrence during the second Test match between South Africa and Bangladesh, held on October 30, South Africa incurred a five-run penalty due to an infringement involving Wiaan Mulder and Senuran Muthusamy. The incident transpired while South Africa was in their first innings and had established a strong seventh-wicket partnership after earlier contributions from Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs, both of whom secured centuries. As Muthusamy took strike against Hasan Mahmud, he managed to push the score by running two runs after a yorker-length delivery was mishit to deep backward point. However, Muthusamy made the critical error of running straight down the center of the pitch, contravening MCC Law 41.15, which protects the area crucial for bowling. The umpires subsequently revoked the two runs and imposed a five-run penalty on South Africa, which resulted in Bangladesh commencing their innings at a score of 5-0. According to the laws of cricket, this penalty procedure was triggered because Muthusamy had previously been warned for similar conduct during the innings. The regulations stipulate that continued infringement leads to the deduction of runs for the batting side and the awarding of penalty runs to the fielding side. Despite this disruption, South Africa proceeded to declare their innings at 575-6 after Mulder reached his century with a six. In response, Bangladesh struggled against South African bowlers, quickly losing four wickets and finishing Day Two on 38-4.
Cricket regulations, particularly those governed by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), include specific laws to maintain the integrity of the pitch during gameplay. Law 41.15 explicitly outlines the rules regarding protected areas of the pitch, intending to prevent batsmen from running in a manner that interferes with a bowler’s follow-through. In this context, South Africa’s infringement not only led to a five-run penalty but also highlighted the importance of adhering to these established laws in the sport.
This incident underscores the importance of awareness and adherence to cricket regulations concerning the protected area of the pitch. Such penalties, though infrequent, demonstrate the sport’s commitment to maintaining fairness and discipline on the field. Ultimately, South Africa’s robust first innings performance set a challenging target for Bangladesh, which struggled in response following the unusual penalty.
Original Source: www.wisden.com
