'Bunny hop' catch now illegal as MCC announces major change
What's the story
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced a major change in its law on boundary catches, making the controversial 'bunny hop' illegal.
The new rule will be included in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) playing conditions later this month, while the MCC's laws will be updated in October 2026.
The updated law states that an airborne fielder can only touch the ball once beyond the boundary and must return inside for a catch to be considered fair.
Catch controversy
What is the 'bunny hop' catch?
The 'bunny hop' catch, first popularized by Michael Neser in BBL 2023, involved him tossing the ball up while airborne and then hopping back into the playing field to complete the catch.
The move was legal under existing laws but sparked debate over its fairness.
Neser had revealed he was inspired by teammate Matt Renshaw's similar effort in 2020.
Rule revision
MCC's rationale behind the rule change
The MCC had earlier sent a note to the ICC, highlighting that Neser's catch and similar instances felt unfair to the majority of the cricketing public, prompting a call for a rule change.
The new wording proposed by the MCC allows catches where the fielder pushes the ball up from inside and then dives back in to catch it.
However, if a fielder goes outside and jumps up to make a second contact with the ball, they must land within the field of play or else risk conceding a boundary.
Implementation timeline
New law to come into effect on June 17
The revised rule will be enforced starting June 17, when the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle begins with Sri Lanka taking on Bangladesh in Galle.
The change in laws will officially take effect from October 2026.
This move marks a significant shift in cricketing regulations and could have a major impact on future matches.