Australian Cricket - Crisis, What Crisis ??

[LP]

Actually someone took a catch that way in a Test match and the ICC said it was legal afterwards. Going off memory.

Really it's outside of the intent of the rules, it was brought in to deal with batsmen who change their stance during the deliver stride.

Steven Smith's catch to dismiss Fawad Alam in 2014 was an example of legal anticipation

The MCC has confirmed an update to the Laws that allows a fielder to make a "significant movement" before the striker has played the ball. The ICC, in consultation with the MCC, had already introduced a playing condition to this effect last year, which came to light after Steven Smith took a catch to remove Fawad Alam* in an ODI in Abu Dhabi.

Previously, under Laws 41.7 and 41.8, Smith's movement would have resulted in a dead ball, with "significant movement ... before the ball reaches the striker" deemed as "unfair".

They have now been replaced by a single Law .417, governing movement by fielders other than the wicketkeeper. The change is designed to promote "intelligent fielding" and allows a player to move if it becomes obvious a batsman will play the ball in a certain direction.