England were the beneficiaries of an unusual, but ultimately correct, umpiring decision during their series-clinching win against Sri Lanka in Sunday's third ODI at The Oval as Pavan Rathnayake was given out, not out, and then out again.
The bizarre passage of play came in the 15th over of Sri Lanka's run-chase, when Charith Asalanka steered Liam Dawson to short third man. Jofra Archer, the fielder, threw at the keeper's end, and Rathnayake was a long way short of his ground as the LED lights on the stumps and the bails flashed.
Rob White, the square-leg umpire, initially gave him out on-field without deference to TV umpire Adrian Holdstock, but did refer the decision after consultation with standing umpire Wayne Knights. It became clear after a replay that Jordan Cox's gloves had dislodged the bails just before the ball hit the stumps.
Holdstock appeared to overturn the initial decision after around two minutes of deliberation, with 'not out' flashing up on the big screen at The Oval, but continued to review his decision at the drinks break. After another 90 seconds of deliberation, he gave Rathnayake - who was clearly bemused - out for 18.
The decision took approximately four minutes to reach, but was ultimately correct. While Cox's gloves had dislodged the bails, Archer's throw uprooted the stump entirely and was thereby deemed to have broken the wicket.
The two relevant MCC Laws read as follows:
29.2.1.1: "The wicket is broken fairly if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or a stump is struck out of the ground by the ball."
29.2.1.6: "The wicket is also broken fairly if a fielder strikes or pulls a stump out of the ground (as in 29.2.1.5)."
The circumstances were highly unusual, as the former England batter Mark Butcher outlined on Sky Sports. "What I find hard to believe is that in all the years I've either played or commentated on the game, I've never seen this before or heard that Law before," Butcher said.
"Everybody knows that if you break the stumps and the bails come off, then you need to get the ball in your hand and take the stump out in order to affect the run-out. I've never heard the sub-Law about the throw knocking the stump out of the ground, and that counting as a dismissal."
Tom Banton, Player of the Match after making his maiden international hundred during England's innings, was similarly taken aback by the scenario. "I'll be honest, I have never seen that before, so I actually don't know," he said afterwards. "But we take the mick out of Jamie Overton because he seems to know everything, and he said it was out straight away."
MCC, who write and interpret the Laws of Cricket, are expected to clarify the decision in the coming days.