It was good to see Ask the Umpire back on Test Match Special for the first time since 2019 (covid access issues). It’s available as a podcast on BBC Sounds.
Veteran Umpire John Holder answers questions sent in by listeners focused on the rules of cricket. Often quite odd ones and the Beard Liberation Front never misses a chance to raise a point.
We asked if a player with a luxuriant beard had dived to take a catch but it wasn’t clear if the ball was grounded on TV replays would be a player be out if the ball was lodged in the beard and therefore not on the ground.
John Holder ruled that the beard was part of the player and under their control so the batsman would be not out as the ball would be grounded in the beard.
Correct?
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