Angelo made his crease then his helmet strap broke. How is that timed out? I'm all for timed out if he doesn't make his crease but this is ridic. No different then a batsman getting to the crease then taking 3 minutes to face up #cricketworldcup
Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) November 6, 2023
Mathews becomes the first to be dismissed timed out in international cricket
Written by I Dig Sports
Published in
Cricket
Monday, 06 November 2023 07:03
Angelo Mathews became the first player ever to be timed out in international cricket after he asked for a helmet change after walking onto the pitch, subsequently not being ready to face his first ball within the two minutes the ICC Playing Conditions allow.
The strap of Mathews' helmet broke just as he was tightening it around his chin, during his final preparations before taking strike against Shakib Al Hasan. By this stage, about a minute and 55 seconds had already passed since the previous batter Sadeera Samarawickrama had been dismissed.
Mathews soon called for a replacement helmet, which was run out to him by Chamika Karunaratne. Shakib Al Hasan then appeared to initiate a discussion with umpire Marais Erasmus, however, after which Mathews was informed he was timed out.
During the innings break reserve umpire Adrian Holdstock told broadcaster Star Sports: "The fielding captain initiated the appeal to Marais Erasmus, who was the standing umpire, that he wanted to appeal for timed out."
Should Mathews have been timed out?
65.3K votesYes, them's the rules
No, it was equipment malfunction
Mathews was yet to put on the new helmet, and Karunaratne was still standing near the pitch when the news of his dismissal was relayed to him. At this stage, at least three minutes and twenty seconds had elapsed since Samarawickrama's dismissal.
Mathews initially seemed to think the umpire was joking, but quickly wore a worried expression, and began to engage in a long discussion with both Erasmus and square-leg umpire Richard Illingworth.
Erasmus then approached Shakib and had a quick discussion (the second between the two), following which Mathews also spoke briefly to Shakib, the Bangladesh captain offering a consoling tap on Mathews' shoulder. But ultimately the decision to rule him timed out was upheld, prompting more animated and visibly upset gesturing from Mathews at his broken helmet strap.
At the time of Mathews' being given out, Bangladesh had long since broken their huddle, and had taken their places in the field, with Shakib at the top of his mark, ready to bowl.
"As a batsman I think you need to make sure that you have all your equipment in place in order to make sure you get here, because you actually have to be ready to receive the ball within two minutes - not ready to prepare or take your guard," Holdstock told Ian Bishop during the innings break. He also said two minutes had already elapsed between the dismissal of Samarawickrama and the strap "becoming an issue" for Mathews. However, Mathews still had about five seconds to be ready to face the ball when his strap broke.
The ICC Playing Conditions stipulate that the batter must be ready to receive the ball within two minutes, which Mathews clearly was not.
"40.1 Out Timed out 40.1.1 After the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within two minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, Timed Out."
Mathews was visibly annoyed by the mode of dismissal as he left the field. He kicked the helmet in frustration as he passed out of the playing area and chucked his bat away.
His dismissal left Sri Lanka in significant trouble, at 135 for 5. Charaith Asalanka then scored a hundred though, to help his side recover to 279.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo's Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf
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