New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden has made a rare umpiring decision, giving Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez out for obstructing the field in the fourth ODI against South Africa.
Bowden, the third umpire for the match, was forced to make the call after South Africa appealed for obstruction when the Pakistan opener blocked a throw by wicketkeeper AB de Villiers as he ran to the non-striker's end.
Bowden judged that Hafeez changed the course of his run to prevent a run out, making him the first batsman to be dismissed in that manner since a new law was introduced by the International Cricket Council in 2011.
Before that ruling batsmen had been allowed to get in the way of attempted throws.
Hafeez was also just the fifth player in test and one-day internationals to be given out under the general obstructing the field law. Two other Pakistan players, Rameez Raja and Inzamam-ul-Haq, and India's Mohinder Amarnath are the only other players to go for obstructing the field in ODIs.
Despite the rare decision Pakistan won the match by three wickets to level the series at 2-2.
- nzherald.co.nz
