Renshaw endorses new 'fake fielding' rule

Queensland opener Matthew Renshaw has endorsed the new "fake fielding" rule that cost his side five runs in their JLT One-Day Cup win over the Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane on Friday. 

Renshaw said the rule, which prohibits fielders from mimicking collecting the ball and throwing at the stumps in order to deliberately deceive batsmen, made sense "from a batter's point of view". 

"Obviously you shouldn't do it," said Renshaw, who made 67 in his team's successful pursuit of the CA XI's 7-279. 

"It's a good rule because from a batting point of view I can see where it comes from – it's quite a challenging thing when someone picks up and throws, and you think you're miles out but they don't have the ball."

The incident in question occurred in the 27th over of the CA XI's innings, and cost the Bulls five penalty runs.

Marnus Labuschagne dived to field a ball to his right in the covers, and although he failed to stop the ball he feigned collecting it, leapt to his feet and shaped to throw.

His actions caused batter Param Uppal to stutter and shape to scurry back to his crease, before the New South Welshman realised the ball was on its way down to Renshaw at long-off and the single was completed safely.

Labuschagne raised his hands to indicate an apology, but the on-field umpires came together to confer before standing umpire Paul Wilson signalled to the scorers by repeatedly tapping his left shoulder with his right palm to indicate the penalty runs.

"I think Marnus is a rather intense individual, and he tries as hard as he can out on the field, which is great, but sometimes his brain fades a little bit and he forgets some rules," Renshaw added.

"Someone told me it's the first time it's happened so that's a record he can hold."

The rule against "intentionally deceiving or distracting a batsman" was only formally introduced on Thursday by the International Cricket Council's latest version of playing conditions.

However, the regulations the JLT One-Day Cup are played under were finalised some time ago with the latest amendments in mind, having been foreshadowed mid-year.

"What they want to stop is guys getting up and pretending to throw it," Peter Roach, Cricket Australia's head of cricket operations, told cricket.com.au.

"Players are educated and it's a pretty easy thing to stop. Personally, I don't think it's an attractive part of the game so getting rid of it makes some sense and players will adjust really quickly. 

"We had a really good chat with the match officials last week on how to adjudicate it. One of their challenges is they're watching the crease for short runs, but we think most of the time (the fake fielding) will be pretty clear and obviously, (the clear ones are) the ones we want to cut down on."