Ready or not? Watt brings ‘long ball’ rules into focus

A canny Scotland spinner whose pre-game words caught Australia players’ attention has also caused a stir on the field after an inventive bowling tactic was controversially disallowed twice.

Mark Watt, who declared his side were "after a little bit of blood" ahead of their first ever bilateral series against the Aussies, tested the boundaries of the rules with his trademark 'long ball' delivery.

Watt's change-up ball, delivered from around where the umpire stands rather than closer to the bowling crease, was called a dead ball first against Josh Inglis and then later to Marcus Stoinis.

Both Inglis and Stoinis pulled away without attempting a shot. Umpires seemingly agreed the batters had not been ready, though Inglis appeared dismayed in a subsequent exchange with one of the officials.

The Laws of Cricket state a dead ball will be called if "the striker is not ready for the delivery of the ball and, if the ball is delivered, makes no attempt to play it.

"Provided the umpire is satisfied that the striker had adequate reason for not being ready, the ball shall not count as one of the over," it reads.

Watt, Scotland's best performer in their seven-wicket defeat to Australia having dismissed both Travis Head and Mitch Marsh, has previously acknowledged he is operating in a grey area of the rules and accepts he will be called for dead balls occasionally.

But he may argue both Inglis and Stoinis did not have "adequate reason" not to be ready during Wednesday's first T20I.

Former Scotland captain Preston Mommsen claimed on commentary that Inglis was "definitely looking up" before Watt's long ball that was the first of his innings, and which dislodged the bails. Replays suggest otherwise.

Watt appeared frustrated again when his delivery to Stoinis (which missed the stumps) was also called a dead ball.

The incidents had little bearing on the match as Australia cantered to victory at The Grange, though Head suggested Watt's pre-match rally cry had provided Australia with some added motivation.

"It's always nice reading a couple of headlines coming in seeing how keen they are to get us done," Head told cricket.com.au after smashing 80 from only 25 balls. "Two more games to go but nice to start on the right foot.

"I read it in the car on the way in, so I had a giggle with a few of the boys (saying), 'All right then'. But obviously they're keen as – and so are we.

"We've got a couple of young guys in our team, we've got a fresher group after the World Cup, a few different faces. So I think everyone is keen to make a stance."

Watt brought the rules into focus in June when he bowled Oman's Khalid Kail but, like on Wednesday, the delivery was called a dead ball.

The legality of Watt's deliveries is not a question of where he bowls it from (as long as it is in front of the umpire) but rather when he bowls it.

Some could suggest the likes of Inglis and Stoinis were in fact signalling they are ready.

On both occasions Watt had commenced his run-up while the batters were tapping their bat on the ground. Both looked up around the time they made their first bat tap, by which time Watt was in his delivery stride.

"The ICC had a chat with our manager … about it,” Watt told Scottish newspaper 'The Herald' earlier this year. "They pretty much said that it’s a batter’s game so stop doing it!

"But it's something I've been working on for ages so if umpires want to give it as a dead ball that's fine. That doesn't bother me too much. I'm still going to do it. I just need the batters to play at it and it's a legal delivery.

"I'm going to continue to do it and put umpires under a bit more pressure by celebrating if the batter leaves it and it hits the stumps. I want batters to have to keep thinking about it when I come in to bowl as that's always been a mental win for myself."

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Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood (England games only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Riley Meredith (Scotland games only), Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa

September 4: Australia won by seven wickets

September 6: Second T20 v Scotland, The Grange, Edinburgh, 11pm AEST

September 7: Third T20 v Scotland, The Grange, Edinburgh, 11pm AEST

September 11: First T20 v England, Rose Bowl, Southampton, 3.30am Sept 12 AEST

September 13: Second T20 v England, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, 3.30am Sept 14 AEST

September 15: Third T20 v England, Old Trafford Manchester, 11.30pm AEST

Australia ODI squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

September 19: First ODI v England, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 10pm AEST

September 21: Second ODI v England, Headingley, Leeds, 10pm AEST

September 24: Third ODI v England, Riverside, Chester-le-Street, 10pm AEST

September 27: Fourth ODI v England, Lord's, London, 10pm AEST

September 29: Fifth ODI v England, County Ground, Bristol, 8pm AEST