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The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), in collaboration with the International Cricket Council (ICC), has announced a landmark change to cricket’s laws, targeting the controversial “bunny-hop” boundary catch. This new rule, which will take effect in ICC playing conditions from June 17, 2025, and be formally written into the MCC’s Laws in October 2026, aims to clarify what constitutes a fair catch near the boundary and address concerns about the spirit and fairness of recent spectacular, but contentious, fielding efforts.
MCC makes the catch illegal with a major amendment
The “bunny-hop” catch—immortalized by Michael Neser in the Big Bash League 2023 and others—has been a source of both awe and debate. In these instances, fielders would leap to intercept a ball near the boundary, toss it in the air while airborne outside the ropes, land outside, and then jump again to push the ball back in or complete the catch, sometimes with multiple airborne touches. Though legal under the old law, these catches left many fans and players questioning their fairness, as fielders could manipulate the laws to avoid conceding sixes in ways that seemed to defy the spirit of the game.
Under the new rule, such multi-touch, airborne manoeuvres from outside the boundary will be deemed illegal. Now, if a fielder jumps from outside the boundary and touches the ball, they must land entirely within the field of play for the catch to count. If the fielder lands outside after touching the ball, or makes any subsequent contact with the ground outside the ropes during that delivery, a boundary will be awarded. The MCC’s note to member boards explained that this change was necessary because the previous law led to “some unusual-looking catches that, to the majority of the cricketing public, feel unfair”. The new amendment will come into effect on June 17.
Outrageous catch from Michael Neser 😱
Allow Glenn Maxwell to explain why it's a legit catch #BBL12 pic.twitter.com/7YORTIUFat
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 1, 2023
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What’s still allowed? The art of the spectacular saves
Importantly, not all acrobatic boundary catches are banned. The new law still permits fielders to push the ball up from inside the boundary, step out due to momentum, and then dive or jump back in to complete the catch—provided their first contact with the ball was made while grounded inside the field of play. This distinction preserves the excitement of athletic fielding while drawing a clear line against the “bunny-hop” technique that relied on repeated airborne touches from beyond the boundary.
The law’s precise wording now states that a fielder who is airborne and makes contact with the ball after jumping from outside the boundary must then land and remain inside the field of play until the ball becomes dead. Any subsequent contact with the ground outside the boundary during that delivery—whether or not the fielder is in contact with the ball—results in a boundary, not a wicket.
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