Obstructing the Field in Cricket Explained
Obstructing the field is one of cricket's rarest dismissals — when a batter deliberately stops a fielder from catching or running out the ball.
Obstructing the field is one of the rarest dismissals in cricket, governed by Law 37 of the Laws of Cricket. It occurs when a batter deliberately interferes with a fielder attempting to field the ball — whether by physically blocking a throw, deflecting the ball with their body, or warding off a fielder with their hands. The fielding captain must appeal for the dismissal.
Famous Cases
The most celebrated case of obstructing the field involves Michael Angelow of England, who was given out obstructing the field against Pakistan in 1987. More recently, Inzamam-ul-Haq was dismissed this way against India in 1997, and Len Hutton in 1951 against South Africa in a Test match. At the 2019 World Cup, Ben Stokes was the subject of a fielder's appeal for obstructing the field, but the appeal was not upheld.
Handled Ball — Now Part of Obstructing the Field
Until 2017, 'handled the ball' was a separate mode of dismissal in cricket — when a batter deliberately used their hand to stop the ball from hitting the stumps. The Laws of Cricket were changed in 2017 to merge 'handled the ball' into 'obstructing the field', making it one consolidated Law. This means any deliberate use of the hand or body to interfere with play now falls under Law 37.
Frequently asked questions
What is obstructing the field in cricket?
Obstructing the field (Law 37) is when a batter deliberately prevents a fielder from fielding the ball — using their body, hands, or actions to interfere with a catch or run-out attempt.
Is handled the ball the same as obstructing the field?
Since 2017, yes. The 'handled the ball' Law was merged into 'obstructing the field' under Law 37. Any deliberate hand-ball interference is now covered under one rule.