Moeen shows he knows the Laws

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Moeen Ali has had his fair share of fortune in the first Test in Chittagong. His opening-day 68 involved five DRS interventions — three in a period of six balls when he was given out by Kumar Dharmasena either side of lunch — but in the second innings a reprieve came from a different route.

Facing Shakib Al Hasan, on 6, he flicked the ball off his hip straight a short leg who, at first glance from a front-on angle, had appeared to grasp the catch close to his chest. However, Moeen was well aware of the Laws and had noticed that the ball had made contact with the grille of Mominul Haque’s helmet before settling in his hands.

Mominul, himself, also appeared to know the outcome as he barely celebrated the catch amid the initial excitement from the bowler. After a quick check with the third umpire, it was confirmed as not out.

This is the Law (32.3) in question: “The act of making the catch shall start from the time when the ball in flight comes into contact with some part of a fielder’s person other than a protective helmet, and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control both over the ball and over his own movement... it is not a fair catch if the ball has previously touched a protective helmet worn by a fielder. The ball will then remain in play.”