England were the beneficiaries of an unusual, but ultimately correct, umpiring decision during their series-clinching win against Sri Lanka in Sunday’s third ODI at the Oval as Pavan Rathnayake  was given out, not out, and then out again.

The bizarre passage of play came in the 15th over of Sri Lanka’s run-chase, when Charith Asalanka steered Liam Dawson to short third man. Jofra Archer,  the fielder, threw at the keeper’s end, and Rathnayake was a long way short of his ground as the LED lights on the stumps and the bails flashed.

Rob White, the square-leg umpire, initially gave him out on-field without deference to TV umpire Adrian Holdstock, but did refer the decision after consultation with standing umpire Wayne Knights. It became clear after a replay that Jordan Cox’s gloves had dislodged the bails just before the ball hit the stumps.

Holdstock appeared to overturn the initial decision after around two minutes of deliberation, with ‘not out’ flashing up on the big screen at The Oval, but continued to review his decision at the drinks break. After another 90 seconds of deliberation, he gave Rathnayake – who was clearly bemused – out for 18.

The decision took approximately four minutes to reach, but was ultimately correct. While Cox’s gloves had dislodged the bails, Archer’s throw uprooted the stump entirely and was thereby deemed to have broken the wicket.

The two relevant MCC Laws read as follows:

• 29.2.1.1: “The wicket is broken fairly if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or a stump is struck out of the ground by the ball.”
• 29.2.1.6: “The wicket is also broken fairly if a fielder strikes or pulls a stump out of the ground (as in 29.2.1.5).”

The circumstances were highly unusual, as the former England batter Mark Butcher outlined on Sky Sports. “What I find hard to believe is that in all the years I’ve either played or commentated on the game, I’ve never seen this before or heard that Law before,” Butcher said.

“Everybody knows that if you break the stumps and the bails come off, then you need to get the ball in your hand and take the stump out in order to affect the run-out. I’ve never heard the sub-Law about the throw knocking the stump out of the ground, and that counting as a dismissal.”

Tom Banton, Player of the Match after making his maiden international hundred during England’s innings, was similarly taken aback by the scenario. “I’ll be honest, I have never seen that before, so I actually don’t know,” he said afterwards. “But we take the mick out of Jamie Overton because he seems to know everything, and he said it was out straight away.”

MCC, who write and interpret the Laws of Cricket, are expected to clarify the decision in the coming days.

[Cricinfo]

Hours after US President Donald Trump rejected a diplomatic solution put forward by Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, explosions were heard in the waterway, according to Iranian media.

Reports of blasts near southern Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz suggested that multiple antiship missiles and drones were fired at vessels transiting the waterway against Tehran’s wishes.

While Iranian authorities did not confirm any attacks in the Strait of Hormuz that day, shipping continues to be attacked in the waters, including an Indian cargo ship last week which killed a sailor.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) maintains that the strait is closed to any ship that does not coordinate with Iranian authorities. On Sunday afternoon, it released video of what it said was a second US underwater drone seizd  this month.

Tehran has issued instructions to shipping companies transiting the Strait of Hormuz to use a temporary route approved by Iranian authorities and pay relevant fees. But it has also said the strait will not fully reopen until the US blockade on Iranian ports ends.

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced on Saturday that it would blacklist any shipping charterer company which orders crews to use routes it considers to be unauthorised.

It also published what it described as an apology from an unnamed shipowner blaming commercial pressure from its charterer for trying to pass through the strait.

(Aljazeera

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 28 SEPTEMBER 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 28 September 2026 by the Department of  Meteorology

Several spells of showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places in the Uva and Eastern provinces and in Polonnaruwa and Mullaittivu districts after 2.00 p.m.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.