County Championship match marred by ‘shocking’ stumping incident

Damning footage of an English wicketkeeper’s “extremely disappointing” move in a county match has outraged the cricket community.

A controversial stumping incident has marred this week’s County Championship match between Hampshire and Leicestershire in England.

Hampshire registered a mammoth first innings total of 5/612 before declaring, with captain James Vince smacking 231 in an explosive knock at Leicester’s Grace Road.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Leicestershire was rolled for just 202 in response, so Vince elected to enforce the follow-on.

The hosts cautiously made their way to 1/59 in the second innings with Hassan Azad and Harry Dearden at the crease on Saturday.

In the 25th over, spinner Liam Dawson beat the outside edge of Azad’s bat with a well-flighted delivery, and wicketkeeper Lewis McManus dislodged the bails.

The square leg umpire gave Azad out stumped, and Hampshire celebrated their second breakthrough.

However, replays showed McManus had the ball in his right hand while removing the bails with his left glove.

Law 29.1.1.5 states: “The wicket is put down if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps … by a fielder with his/her hand or arm, providing that the ball is held in the hand or hands so used, or in the hand of the arm so used.”

Although the wicket should not have been awarded, McManus seemingly made no attempt to withdraw his appeal or notify the umpires of his error.

Can you spot the issue here?#CountyCricket2021pic.twitter.com/RUxIz4o31z

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) April 10, 2021

This doesn't look great, especially when you are a perceived stronger county who has rattled up 600 against a weaker one with a day and a half to go in the game. https://t.co/AIm3WPEBWG

— Dan Whiting (@TheMiddleStump) April 11, 2021

READ MORE: Unlikely heroes emerge in cricket finale

Several cricket pundits criticised McManus for his actions on social media, some accusing the 26-year-old of cheating, however many fans argued the umpires were equally responsible for the incorrect decision.

Leicestershire County Cricket Club confirmed that coach Paul Nixon had contacted match referee Stuart Cummings about the incident, as first revealed by Wisden.com.

“For everyone at Leicestershire, the behaviour displayed by Hampshire was extremely disappointing and has no place in the game,” Leicestershire CCC chief executive Sean Jarvis said in a statement.

“I have written to the ECB following the completion of this fixture to express the concerns and disappointment of what happened.

“I hope we can resolve this matter quickly and move on from the incident.”

Vince defended his under-fire wicketkeeper on Sunday, suggesting McManus didn’t realise his actions at the time.

“Lewis is pretty down about how it looks, but from his and our point of view we weren’t aware there was an issue until a few overs later,” Vince told the ECB Reporters Network. “We’re talking split seconds. Had we known instantly we would have called (Azad) back.

“Knowing Lewis, if he’d known exactly what he’d done, he would have said something.”

Cummings said the ECB would issue a statement on the incident in due course, while Hampshire would be making no official comment at this stage, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Leicestershire ultimately lost the match by an innings and 105 runs.