Ashes 2023: Why was Ben Duckett given not out despite clean catch from Mitchell Starc?

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Ashes 2023: England opener Ben Duckett was adjudged not out and recalled from the boundary rope as a controversy erupted just ahead of stumps on Day 4. Just two overs before the end of day's play, Mitchell Starc picked a catch at fine leg and a spirited celebration began in the Australian camp.

Duckett was about to cross the boundary rope when the umpires stopped him and decided to have a closer look at the catch. The replays showed the ball touching the ground after Starc who had to run towards his left tried to get control over his body by using both his hands to put a break on his slide.

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the official lawmakers of the game have rolled out a statement to explain that the decision by the third umpire was fair and justified.

“In relation to the below incident, Law 33.3 clearly states that a catch is only completed when the fielder has "complete control over the ball and his/her own movement.

“The ball cannot touch the ground before then. In this particular incident, Mitchell Starc was still sliding as the ball rubbed the ground, therefore he was not in control of his movement," the statement said.

In a similar incident during the World Test Championship (WTC) final, Shubman Gill's catch by Cameron Green in slip cordon had come under the scanner. The decision had gone in favour of Australia as Green was in control of the ball and his movement.

Earlier, former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook also reckoned that Starc did not take a clean catch.

“I don't think he had control of his body, he did scrape the ball. Starc should have been sharper. He will turn his hand next time,” Vaughan said.

“Not out, it's an obvious thing. I always thought the ball can't touch the ground and it touches the ground.

"He caught that catch in his hands while still moving and he quite obviously scraped the floor. I wasn't totally sure of the rules, but it should be simple, if the ball touches the ground, it shouldn't be out,” Cook said.