NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Cricket / Black Caps

Were Sri Lanka robbed? Images reveal truth behind controversial Black Caps finish

NZ Herald
4 Sep, 2019 09:30 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The Black Caps beat Sri Lanka to claim the T20 series, The Tall Blacks get the win over Montenegro setting up a must win match against Greece and we catch up win speed stacker Sarina Wang. VIDEO/SKY Sport

Nearly two months on from that fateful game - the Black Caps were involved in yet another bizarre finish to a cricket match.

The umpires from that heartbreaking World Cup loss admitted they got it wrong when it came to the Ben Stokes fiasco.

This time, the Black Caps were on the right side of history when the Sri Lankan fielder Shehan Jayasuriya took a catch on the boundary, only to collide with a fellow teammate Kusal Mendis and go tumbling over the rope.

But questions have been raised as to whether the six signalled by the umpire should have been replaced with a wicket.

Fans from around the world claimed Jayasuriya successfully had control of the catch before the unfortunate incident that took him over the rope.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Some claim the ball was firmly grasped in the hand while Jayasuriya's body touched the ground in the field of play.

Frame 1: Jayasuriya (left) takes the catch. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 1: Jayasuriya (left) takes the catch. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 2: Jayasuriya collides with Kusal Mendis. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 2: Jayasuriya collides with Kusal Mendis. Photo / Sky Sport

However, unfortunately for Sri Lankan cricket fans, the umpires got the decision spot on, debunking any theory the home side were robbed.

Law 32 of cricket states "The act of making the catch shall start from the time when a fielder first handles the ball and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control both over the ball and over his own movement."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Frame 3: Shehan Jayasuriya goes crashing to the floor after colliding with his teammate. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 3: Shehan Jayasuriya goes crashing to the floor after colliding with his teammate. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 4: While the ball is in control, the fielder's body uncontrollably hits the ground, coming inches to the boundary rope. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 4: While the ball is in control, the fielder's body uncontrollably hits the ground, coming inches to the boundary rope. Photo / Sky Sport

In the case of Jayasuriya, the collision meant he never had "complete control" over "his own movement" which eventually saw him hit the rope.

Frame 5: Still not in control of his body, Jayasuriya moves even closer to the rope. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 5: Still not in control of his body, Jayasuriya moves even closer to the rope. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 6: Despite maintaining control of the ball in the hand, the Sri Lankan fielder has lost control of his body and fallen over the boundary, meaning the ball has gone for 6 runs. Photo / Sky Sport
Frame 6: Despite maintaining control of the ball in the hand, the Sri Lankan fielder has lost control of his body and fallen over the boundary, meaning the ball has gone for 6 runs. Photo / Sky Sport

Nevertheless, Black Caps fans may take this one as a sip of revenge for the World Cup heartache.

It was a freakish finish to a freakishly familiar match, but one that probably won't go down as a trivia quiz question any time soon.

Discover more

Black Caps

Not enough players! Black Caps facing bizarre injury crisis

03 Sep 09:30 PM
Black Caps

'Maddest sport around': Black Caps' insane finish stuns cricket world

03 Sep 08:00 PM
Cricket

Live updates: The Ashes, fourth test

04 Sep 09:40 AM
Black Caps

Problem solved: Black Caps' solution to major injury crisis

04 Sep 09:15 AM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Black Caps

Black Caps

'Valuable insight': Southee's new role with England cricket team

15 May 09:34 AM
Black Caps

Kiwis can choose to return to India as IPL restart confirmed amid Pakistan conflict

13 May 01:25 AM
Black Caps

Kiwi cricketers head home from IPL amid India-Pakistan tensions

09 May 10:06 PM

The Hire A Hubby hero turning handyman stereotypes on their head

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Black Caps

'Valuable insight': Southee's new role with England cricket team

'Valuable insight': Southee's new role with England cricket team

15 May 09:34 AM

Tim Southee joins England cricket as a specialist skills consultant.

Kiwis can choose to return to India as IPL restart confirmed amid Pakistan conflict

Kiwis can choose to return to India as IPL restart confirmed amid Pakistan conflict

13 May 01:25 AM
Kiwi cricketers head home from IPL amid India-Pakistan tensions

Kiwi cricketers head home from IPL amid India-Pakistan tensions

09 May 10:06 PM
Black Caps legend eyed for England coaching role

Black Caps legend eyed for England coaching role

29 Apr 06:23 PM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP