MCC Declares 'Bunny Hop' Catches Illegal in New Cricket Rules

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has officially declared the 'bunny hop' technique for catching balls as illegal in cricket. This decision will affect how catches are judged in future matches, including the upcoming World Test Championship. The new rule stipulates that fielders must return to the field of play after jumping outside the boundary to make a catch. This change comes after discussions sparked by notable catches in recent games that raised concerns among cricket enthusiasts. The rule will be implemented in October 2026, with the first match of the new championship cycle scheduled for June 17. Read on to learn more about the implications of this significant rule change.
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MCC Declares 'Bunny Hop' Catches Illegal in New Cricket Rules

New Cricket Regulations from MCC

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the governing body for cricket rules, has ruled that the 'bunny hop' technique, which involves jumping multiple times outside the boundary to catch a ball, is now illegal. This new regulation will be incorporated into the International Cricket Council's playing conditions this month and will be officially adopted by the MCC starting next October.




With this rule change, remarkable catches made by Tom Banton during the BBL 2023, aided by Michael Neser, and another by Matt Renshaw in 2020 will no longer be considered valid. The ICC has communicated to its member boards that while some exceptional catches have been witnessed under the current rules, the allowance for unusual catches has raised concerns among cricket fans.




The MCC specifically referenced the catch taken by Neser, noting that the fielder performed a bunny hop before completing the catch within the boundary. Although this was permissible under existing rules, it appeared that the fielder had crossed the boundary line significantly. These incidents sparked a debate, prompting the ICC and MCC to review Rule 19.5.2.




Understanding the Bunny Hop Catch


The MCC has clarified that for a fielder to legally make contact with the ball after jumping over the boundary, they must return to the field of play. If they fail to do so, the catch will be deemed invalid. The MCC has introduced the term 'bunny hop' to describe this action, which is now considered illegal. However, if a fielder steps outside the boundary but then returns to catch the ball within the boundary, that catch will still be valid.


These new regulations will take effect at the start of the new World Test Championship cycle, with the inaugural match set to take place on June 17 between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Galle. The official implementation of these rule changes will occur in October 2026.


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