Mark Watt's 'Long Ball' Tactic Sparks Debate

As the opening T20I between Australia and Scotland in Edinburgh neared its conclusion, attention shifted from Travis Head's explosive batting to the unconventional "long ball" tactic employed by left-arm spinner Mark Watt. His innovative approach began to raise questions about the grey areas in cricket’s Laws.

After dismissing Mitchell Marsh with a catch on the boundary, Watt bowled a 25-yard delivery to Josh Inglis, who hesitated at the last moment, stepping away as the ball clipped the leg bail. The umpire called a 'dead ball' but appeared to exchange words with Inglis afterward. A similar incident followed when Marcus Stoinis, after taking his stance, also stepped back, though the ball missed the stumps on that occasion.

Watt had previously explained his tactic as a way to unsettle batters. He noted that by the time they looked up, the ball would already be halfway down the pitch, catching them off guard.

The umpire’s decision was supported by Law 20.4.2.5, which allows for a dead ball if the batter is not ready and makes no attempt to play, as long as the umpire believes the batter had a valid reason for not being prepared. However, what constitutes "adequate reason" is left to the umpire’s discretion, and Watt seemed convinced that Inglis had been ready to face the delivery. Video stills suggested that while Inglis was still tapping his bat when Watt began his run-up, he was looking at the bowler before the ball was released.

Former Scotland captain Preston Mommsen, commentating during the game, remarked that Inglis was fortunate, given the unexpected nature of Watt's delivery from such a long distance.

Though the incidents had no impact on the match's outcome, it wasn’t the first time Watt's tactics had sparked debate. A similar situation occurred during the T20 World Cup earlier in the year, when Oman's Khalid Kail stepped away after being bowled by Watt. The umpire had called a dead ball, which led to a discussion between Watt, Scotland captain Richie Berrington, and the official. On this occasion, there were only a few gestures from the players, though the crowd voiced their displeasure after the second dead-ball call.

During the World Cup, Tom Moody, on commentary, had argued that Kail was ready and the ball should have been considered live. According to Moody, once the batter places their bat and looks at the bowler, they are prepared for the delivery.

Australia had been aware of Watt’s tactic since facing Scotland in the T20 World Cup in St Lucia, where both Inglis and Stoinis were part of the squad.