Law & disorder: Inside a classic Shield final controversy

Queensland great Stuart Law has opened up on the incident that led to him being "labelled a cheat" and, he believes, forever altered his reputation as a cricketer.

In the latest episode of cricket.com.au's narrative podcast Stories After Stumps, 'The Catch', Law details the controversial moment from the final day of the 2001 Pura Cup final, in which he was ultimately ruled not out caught in the gully by rookie Victoria fielder Michael Klinger, with television replays proving inconclusive.  

The non-catch drama – which came from the first ball Law faced in his second innings, following on from the Bulls captain's first-ball duck in the first innings – was one of two boiling points in consecutive Pura Cup finals between Queensland and Victoria, as the states fought out an intense rivalry well into the first decade of the 21st century.

Queensland went on to lift the trophy on each occasion and Law, who was one of a host of players interviewed for the episode along with the two standing umpires, Simon Taufel and Steve Davis, proved both a match-winner and chief antagonist in both contests.  

"People's perceptions of me changed a hell of a lot over these incidents," he says. "But … I'll say it adamantly – it wasn't out. It might have felt out to Michael (Klinger), it might have looked out to his teammates … But I'll sit here and say, hand on heart, it wasn't out. But I've been labelled a cheat for it."

Klinger and his captain, Paul Reiffel, both stand by their view that the catch was clean – and comfortably so – with the fielder, who was 20 at the time, conceding that in the moment it did feel as though his "integrity was sort of questioned".

Matthew Mott, who was fielding beside Klinger at the time and was in a unique position as the only player in the match to have played for both states, was also unequivocal.

"'Maxy' Klinger, as many people know, was probably the Richie Cunningham of Shield cricket at that stage – he was the world's nicest guy, most honest cricketer I've probably ever played with," Mott said. "I thought he'd taken it literally a foot off the ground. It didn't even cross my mind that it was even debatable. So we were jumping for joy, and then (Law) stood his ground, and he was quite within his rights to do that." 

Law, who stood his ground as the umpires convened, maintains he saw a "puff of sand" and felt there was "something not quite right" – a view shared by the non-striker, Clinton Perren.

"So you've got two very honourable cricketers," Perren added, "that are fully believing in that moment, that either a catch had bounced or a catch had carried."

And there is yet more to the story. For Law, now 55 and the current head coach of the USA, the true rivalry at play was not centred upon the two states but concerning a longstanding grudge from an incident he says occurred a decade earlier between him and Victoria wicketkeeper Darren Berry.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," he begins, "and this is where it all stems from…"

Listen to episode five of Stories After Stumps for the full account.

Episode 1: Bevan Sent - Michael Bevan's hugely successful move to Tasmania 

 

Episode 2: King of the Bash - Craig Simmons' remarkable debut Big Bash season

 

Episode 3: Nicole Bolton: Raw - The heart-breaking career of the former Aussie opener

 

Episode 4: 'You just dropped the Ryobi Cup' - the frantic finish to the 2011-12 men's one-day cup

Listen to the full catalogue of Stories After Stumps here, or wherever you tune into your podcasts, and if you're enjoying this new documentary series from cricket.com.au, don't forget to rate, review and subscribe.