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No-Balls, Run-outs and Handling the Ball

There are 3 things that I have been pondering over for the last couple of weeks.

  • Why do batsmen have to be given out if their bat is in the air even after getting the bat over the line?
  • Why do bowlers get to keep their foot in the air behind the crease and still don't get a no-ball call?
  • If handling the ball is something that has to be decided whether it was done intentionally or not, why don't batsmen just put their hand out gently to stop the ball, when they find themselves in a situation where they know that they are definitely going to be definitely run-out?

Run-Outs and No-Balls


Bowlers can keep their foot in the air
behind the crease
Batsmen cannot keep their bat in the air over the crease

In the recently concluded ODI series between England and Pakistan, Asad Shafiq, in trying to sneak a leg bye of Graeme Swann had to turn back and ended up just getting the bat over the line, but with the bat in the air which proved just a touch costly as Kieswetter whipped the bails off.

Time after time off spinners (in general, but other bowlers too) keep landing their foot outside the crease but with their heel IN THE AIR within the crease and as per the rules they don't get any no-ball calls.

The no-ball rule is perfectly fair. But, why isn't it the same for a batsman when he is about to get run-out or stumped for that matter, when he could have the similar situation as a bowler with toes outside and the heel within the crease, but in the air?


Handling the Ball

This was a thought that came to my mind before the "Hussey Incident" actually happened. When a batsman is running to complete a run and if he is sure of getting run-out, he might as well put his hand out a little (in a manner that is not indicative of handling the ball), thinking that he still would have a chance of surviving in case the fielding side didn't appeal or the third umpire just thought it wasn't conclusive enough to give him out.

David Hussey in the controversial "Handling the Ball" incident. 
On the other hand, if he did try to complete the run and the ball ended up hitting the stumps, the fielding side would definitely appeal for a run-out and the third umpire would find it easier to judge a run-out rather than judging whether the ball was handled intentionally or not.

Accepting that the "Hussey Incident" wasn't one where he had absolutely no chance of making the run, the lines of thinking could still have been the same. When a run-out can be clearly decided on the basis of the evidence provided by the cameras, why not put a little doubt in it and make the decision-making a little tough to extend your stay at the crease? Could Hussey have been thinking on those lines?
  
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