MCC Brings New Rule: No More ‘Bunny-Hop’ Catches On The Boundary

Rajgeeta Yadav

Michael Neser pulled off a stunning catch [Source: @7Cricket/X.com]Michael Neser pulled off a stunning catch [Source: @7Cricket/X.com]

Those exciting boundary catches we often see in cricket, where a player jumps over the boundary rope, taps the ball in mid-air, and somehow throws it back inside the field to complete a catch, are about to become illegal. 

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the body that makes the laws of cricket, along with the International Cricket Council (ICC), has decided to change the rules as stated by ESPN. Starting officially from October 2026, these “bunny-hop” style catches will no longer be allowed.

This change comes after growing concerns that these types of catches, while athletic and entertaining, feel unfair to many fans. 

A key example of this happened during the 2023 Big Bash League when Brisbane Heat's Michael Neser pulled off a catch that left people stunned. He caught the ball near the boundary, got carried outside by his momentum, tossed the ball up while still in the air outside the field, landed beyond the ropes, jumped again, tapped the ball back into the field, and then came back in to finish the catch. Although it was legal under the existing rules, many felt it went against the spirit of the game.

What Does The New Law Say?

The new rule changes all that. Now, if a fielder goes outside the boundary and then jumps to touch the ball, they must land back inside the field for the catch to count. If the fielder touches the ball more than once while being outside the boundary or never lands back in the playing area after touching it, a boundary will be given instead of a wicket. This puts a clear limit on how much a fielder can do once they’ve gone past the boundary line.

Earlier, the law only said that a fielder couldn’t be touching the ball and the ground outside the boundary at the same time. That allowed players to come up with clever ways to still complete catches, even if they had stepped out. But the MCC felt this made the game look unfair, especially to casual viewers who didn’t fully understand the rule.

What Is Still Allowed Under the Updated Rule?

However, not all stunning boundary catches are banned. The new law still allows a fielder to take the catch inside the field, step out due to momentum, and then come back in to complete it, as long as they only touch the ball once while outside and finish the play inside the boundary.

In short, these new rules are aimed at keeping things fair while still allowing players to show off their athletic skills.