Cricket is the gentleman’s game – after all, where else do the players break for a spot of tea?

That being said, every now and again an ugly incident rears its head and reminds us that not everyone plays the game in the best of spirits.

We’re not talking about Virat Kohli, who was fined 25% of his match fee for behaving like a brat during the second test currently going on in Pretoria, but rather about the behaviour of West Indies u19 captain Emmanuel Stewart.

During the Baby Proteas’ World Cup match against the Windies this morning, batsman Jiveshan Pillay was given out obstructing the field. Let’s first see the incident before we go any further:

Now here’s the thing – the law states that you should wait for permission before picking the ball up and tossing it to a fielder, but the ball was clearly not threatening the stumps.

Via Cricinfo, here’s the law:

Law 37.4, which deals with ‘returning the ball to a fielder’, states: “Either batsman is out obstructing the field if, at any time while the ball is in play and, without the consent of a fielder, he/she uses the bat or any part of his/her person to return the ball to any fielder.”

Cool, but there’s also something called the spirit of the game. The decision was referred to the TV umpire, which meant that the West Indian team had plenty of time to reconsider, but they chose to go ahead with their disregard for the right thing to do.

Even former West Indian quick Ian Bishop was left unimpressed:

The batsman isn’t trying to gain an advantage. He is not trying to being unfair. The umpires have done what they need to do. The ball has stopped. It’s not threatening the stumps…

The batsman is not trying to gain an unfair advantage. All he is trying to do is help out the fielding team. I would have to have a deeper look at myself if I was the fielding captain…

Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis was adamant that the decision was unsporting, tweeting this out before the start of his test match day.

Mitchell Johnson thought it wise to wade in:

The law could do with amending, but you would expect more from youngsters just starting out in the game.

And now for the really good news:

That included a stellar 2 off 17 balls from the West Indian skipper. Justice.

Also, how about that Lungi Ngidi? Love it.

[source:cricinfo]