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3 times a wicketkeeper controversially stumped a batter for casually leaving the crease

A wicketkeeper has three main things to do in a cricket match. He has to stop the ball from going towards the boundary when the ball is left alone by the batter. His second duty is to take the catch behind the stumps if a batter nicks a delivery, and his third job is to grab the ball and take the bails off the stumps when the batter is outside his crease.

There are two modes of dismissal in cricket for a batter when he is outside his crease and the bails are taken off. The first is run-out, which happens when a batter attempts to steal a run but fails to reach the crease on time. The second is stumping, which happens when the wicketkeeper takes the bails off the stumps with the striker out of his crease.

Generally, stumpings in cricket happen via spinners' and medium pacers' bowling when the wicketkeeper is standing up to the stumps. It is rare to see a wicketkeeper taking the bails off the stumps standing far from the wickets, but here's a list of three such instances when a batter was controversially stumped for casually leaving the crease off a fast bowler's bowling.


#1 Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey stumped Jonny Bairstow

During the Lord's Test match of the ongoing Ashes 2023 series, Australia's Alex Carey executed an underarm throw from behind the stumps when Jonny Bairstow came out of his crease after ducking a delivery from Cameron Green.

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It was the last ball of the over and Bairstow went to have a chat with his partner Ben Stokes as the ends changed. However, Bairstow did not notice that Carey had thrown the ball toward the stumps. He was way out of his crease and was stumped out in an embarrassing fashion.


#2 Brendon McCullum stumped out Paul Collingwood but New Zealand withdrew the appeal

Brendon McCullum, who is England's coach right now, also tried a similar stumping during the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 battle between New Zealand and England. The Blackcaps started well and reduced England to 27/3.

Paul Collingwood came out to bat for England. Off the final delivery of the 11th over bowled by Kyle Mills, Collingwood left the ball alone. The ball went to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum who immediately threw it at the stumps and dislodged the bails. Collingwood was given out but the then Kiwi captain Daniel Vettori withdrew the appeal soon after.


#3 West Indies U-19 wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach stumped Rishabh Pant in WC Final

During the U-19 World Cup 2016 final between West Indies and India, Tevin Imlach dismissed Indian opener Rishabh Pant in a similar fashion. It was the fourth ball of the first over, and Pant did not play a shot off a ball bowled by Alzarri Joseph.

Pant came out of his crease soon after. Before he stepped back, the gloveman took the bails off the stumps with a quick throw. You can watch the video here.

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