Can A Team Field Without A Wicketkeeper In Place?

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Seven years ago, on 5th June 2015, one of the strangest things happened on the cricket field when Worcestershire removed the wicketkeeper from the position during the T20 Blast match against Northamptonshire. 

It was in the 16th over of the inning when Worcestershire captain Daryl Mitchell asked his wicketkeeper, Ben Cox, to remove his gloves & pads and field at the edge of the circle as an extra fielder. 

While cricket had seen keepers standing back for spinners and at the edge of the circle to stop runs and be in a better catching position, it hadn't happened that there will no one donning the gloves at the back of the stumps. 

The move shocked both the on-field umpires and the opposition. After a long discussion between the two umpires, the move was allowed as there was nothing in the law that suggested it is compulsory for a fielding side to have a wicketkeeper (fielder donning gloves & pads) all the time. 

Law 27 only suggests that the wicket-keeper is the only fielder permitted to wear gloves and external leg guards. Neither there is anything written that one fielder has to keep wearing gloves and external guards all the time. 

"In a game when you're trying to stop the opposition scoring, it's a legitimate tactic," Steve Rhodes, the Worcestershire director of cricket, said.

Worcestershire are currently fielding without a keeper off Ali. Ben Cox on the edge of the the circle. 58 off 24. pic.twitter.com/X4OKNs0mSy

— Ciaran Thomas (@ciaranthomas91) June 5, 2015

"I saw Daryl Mitchell tell Ben Cox to go back and I thought he was going to keep from the edge of the ring. Then I turned around and saw him without pads or gloves on. It's in the Laws and they've obviously looked into it and there's no law against it. You've just got to question whether it's in the spirit of the game. But that's probably because it's never been done before. When they first come out, these things usually get questioned and left alone," Josh Cobb, the batter at the striker's end said. 

From Where Did The Idea Come To Worcestershire? 

"One of the things I challenged the coaches in the winter to do, was to try and come up with some ideas that might just knock the opposition off their guard a little bit. It came about when I watched MS Dhoni stand back to the spinners for India and I thought that was a great idea. Afterward, he said he wanted another catcher around the corner and he felt he could do that himself, standing back. That's how it started us thinking about it," Rhodes said. 

What Did MS Dhoni Do? 

During India vs England 2014 Lord's Test, MS Dhoni wanted to have an extra fielder on the leg-side but the law didn't permit India from fielding more than two catchers. So wicketkeeper Dhoni stood back when Ravindra Jadeja, a left-arm spinner, bowled to a left-hander. This meant that India now had an extra catching fielder on the leg-side without breaking any law. 

While Worcestershire took the idea from Dhoni, it wasn't the first time a keeper stood back to prevent runs or get into a better catching position at the back. There are several instances where keepers have done this. Check out how Vijay Yadav stood back when Sachin Tendulkar bowled that famous last over vs South Africa in the hero cup. 

A Possible T20 Tactic In The Future? 

Of course. It is surprising that teams haven't used it more often but it is truly a remarkable tactic especially when the pitch is flat and run-scoring is easy. Having an extra fielder always helps, especially in the T20 format.