Cricket’s New Rule Ends Bunny Hop Boundary Catches: The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), who are in charge of cricket’s rules, has made an important change to the boundary fielding rule. They have updated Law 19.5.2 to make the rules about jumping and catching near the boundary stricter. This new rule will start being used in international cricket from June 17, 2025, and will become part of the official MCC Laws from October 2026.
MCC Ends Bunny Hop Boundary Catches
The goal of this change is to clear up confusion and stop catches that involve jumping multiple times or “bunny hopping” outside the boundary. Many fans and players felt these catches were unfair, even if they were allowed by the old rules.
Famous examples include Michael Neser’s multi-hop catch in the 2023 Big Bash League and a 2020 catch by Tom Banton and Matt Renshaw. While people admired these amazing catches, many questioned if they were really fair. Because of this, some people called for the rules to be changed.
Old vs New: What Has Changed in Law 19.5.2?
Here’s a simple explanation of the new rule that will now make “bunny hops” illegal when catching near the boundary.
The earlier version of Law 19.5.2 stated: “A fielder who is not in contact with the ground is considered to be grounded beyond the boundary if his/her final contact with the ground, before his/her first contact with the ball, was not entirely within the boundary.”
Michael Neser's juggling act ends Silk's stay!
Cue the debate about the Laws of Cricket… #BBL12 pic.twitter.com/5Vco84erpj
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 1, 2023
Old Rule Allowed:
Fielders could touch the ball multiple times in the air if they first jumped from inside the field.
In relay catches, teammates could be airborne outside the boundary as long as the first fielder followed the rules.
New Rule Changes:
Now, every fielder involved in a catch or relay must follow the same rules, not just the first one.
All must be on the field when they touch the ball and land.
Key Points:
A fielder can jump from outside the boundary and touch the ball once while in the air.
After that, they must land and stay inside the field until the play ends.
If they step outside again before the play ends, it counts as a boundary.
In relay catches, the fielder returning the ball must land inside the field and stay there until the play is over.
This change stops multiple airborne touches or “bunny hops” outside the boundary, making catches near the boundary clearer and fairer.
IN MCC’S WORDS: “MCC has devised a new wording where the ‘bunny hop’ wholly beyond the boundary is removed, but these catches where the fielder pushes the ball up from inside the boundary, steps outside and then dives back in to catch the ball, are permitted,” a note said.
“Our solution has been to limit any fielder who has gone outside the boundary to touching the ball while airborne only once, and then, having done so, to be wholly grounded within the boundary for the rest of the duration of that delivery.”
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