Australia legend Mark Waugh has voiced his concern over the current leg-bye rule on social media.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the former Australia cricketer criticised the current rule for leg-byes, deeming it to be more “batter-friendly”.
“I’ve been saying this for years. I think it should at least be a rule in all white-ball cricket. Give it a trial and see how it goes,” Waugh wrote in response to a post on the platform arguing for the leg bye rule to be changed.
A batting side should not benefit from leg byes. The whole point of batting is to hit the ball with the bat, not pads. If you score leg byes, it means you've missed the ball, and the bowler has beaten you. https://t.co/16ZtHWPQ6s
— James Buttler | Cricket Badger Podcast ???????????????? (@cricket_badger) November 25, 2023
I’ve been saying this for years. I think it should at least be a rule in all white ball cricket. Give it a trial and see how it goes.— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) November 26, 2023
Several fans have reacted to the exchange.
One of them opined it would create an unusually high rate of DRS reviews.
“Agreed although the number of DRS would be very high,” he wrote.
Agreed although the number of DRS would be very high— Ray Cornelius (@rayoutwest) November 26, 2023
Another said, “Agree, make it a bit sporty for batters too, they should run and make as many runs as they can, hit the ball off the ground… scoring runs on byes and leg byes is a crime”.
Agree, make it a bit sporty for batters too, they should run and make as many runs as they can, hit the ball off the ground.. scoring runs on byes and lbyes is a crime— Muhammed (@MUAL984) November 26, 2023
One use wrote the take is a little weird since bowlers often misuse their deliveries to harm the batters physically.
“It’s already a rule… no shot, no leg byes. If you’re taking positive action and miss you’re entitled to run. We play a game where bowlers want to hit you on the helmet. But you’re not allowed leg byes if taking evasive action? Weird take from you on this one Junior,” the user wrote.
It's already a rule … no shot, no leg byes.If you're taking positive action and miss you're entitled to runs. We play a game where bowlers want to hit you on the helmet. But you're not allowed leg byes if taking evasive action?
Weird take from you on this one Junior.
— Daniel Cohen (@Fishman_Dan) November 27, 2023
While another revealed that this rule is already quite common in India’s ‘gully cricket’. “In India, we have tried it for eternity in gully cricket and trust me, it only improves hand-eye coordination. No demerit found,” he said.
In India we have tried it since eternity in gully cricket and trust me, it only improves the hand eye co-ordination. No demerit found.— Nilanjan Sharma (@nilanjan118) November 26, 2023
This isn’t the first time that Waugh has expressed his displeasure at the leg-bye rule.
While commentating during a game in the Big Bash League in 2020, Waugh said the rule should be scrapped.
While talking to his fellow commentator Michael Vaughan, the Aussie said that batters should not get runs for missing the ball, especially in T20 cricket.
Vaughan was seemingly impressed with his co-commentator and advised Waugh to join the MCC cricket committee as they could use his thinking to improve the sport.
A legend of the sport, Waugh amassed 16,529 runs for Australia in ODIs and Test cricket. Waugh was also considered a fairly impressive bowler with 145 wickets to his name. He won the World Cup with Australia in 1999.
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