MCC issues clarification over contentious Smith non-dismissal during 5th Ashes Test

Steve Smith had accepted his fate when a stunning throw from substitute fielder George Ealham found him short. It would have been the most crucial breakthrough for England on Day 2 of the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Kennington Oval in London as hope of a first-innings lead, that looked improbable on the opening day, seemingly looked real on the second evening. 

Australia were still 85 runs short with the possible dismissal leaving them 8 down. But TV umpire Nitin Menon granted Smith a lifeline, sparking a huge debate across social media and in the commentary box over the 'not out' decision. MCC later issued a clarification on the non-dismissal.

It had happened in the 78th over of Australia's first-innings chase when a diving Smith was caught inches short when England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow collected that throw from Ealham to dislodge the bails. The former Australia captain had almost made his way back to the pavilion after first look at the replay by the third umpire. But there was more it than just a simple review on a run out appeal.

The front angle view revealed that Bairstow had unsettled the bails before collecting the ball. But it only came off the off stump. Menon was hence left with an array of mysteries to solve - whether the England gloveman broke the stumps before collecting the ball, whether he did it again after collecting the ball and whether he broke the wicket with the ball in his gloves before Smith made his way back into the crease.

Menon went through the footage several times, frame by frame, which eventually revealed that Bairstow was guilty of removing one of the bails before the collecting the ball and Smith was short of the crease then. But when he completely dislodged the bails, Smith was in.

Moments later, MCC released a tweet to issue a clarification on the decision made by Menon on Smith's non-dismissal.

"We have received a few questions regarding the decision in the below video. Law 29.1 states: "The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground. Tom Smith's Cricket Umpiring and Scoring, MCC's Official Interpretation of the Laws of Cricket, adds: "For the purposes of dismissal – a bail has been removed at the moment that both ends of it leave their grooves," it read.

Smith, who was on 48 then, eventually completed his fifty and later carried Australia past the first-innings mark of England to hand the visitors a slender lead of 12 runs at the close of Day 2 after they were folded for 295.