MCC approve Pietersen 'switch-hit'

The MCC are allowing England's Kevin Pietersen to continue playing the 'switch'

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The MCC - the guardian of the laws of cricket - will not “legislate against” Kevin Pietersen’s switch-hitting where he swaps his hands over and effectively bats left-handed.

The announcement was made following a meeting today at Lord’s to discuss a variety of issues regarding the game’s laws.

MCC secretary & chief executive Keith Bradshaw, head of cricket John Stephenson and chairman of MCC’s cricket committee Mike Griffith were in attendance.

The committee decided that as the stroke involved an element of risk for the batsman, and offered the fielding side “a good chance” of taking a wicket, it should continue to employed in any form of cricket.

Pietersen announced his relief at the ruling: “I am very pleased by the MCC’s decision and I think it’s the right one not just for me or England but the game as a whole.

“It’s important that we as players are innovative and if this shot helps make cricket more exciting and entertaining for spectators then that has to be good for the sport.

“I don’t agree with the argument that it is unfair on the bowlers. It’s an extremely high-risk shot and there will be plenty of bowlers out there who will think that it gives them a great opportunity to get me out.

“But overall I am glad that MCC have recognized that cricket is always evolving and that this particular shot brings something special to the game.

“I have spent many hours in the nets working on it and I am pleased that all the hard work is not going to go to waste.”

MCC made it clear that they would meet in the future to discuss the implications regarding wide balls and the lbw rule, which could be considered to change when a right-handed batsman alters his stance to that of a left-hander, or vice versa.

A statement read: “MCC believes that the ‘switch-hit’ stroke is exciting for the game of cricket. Indeed, the stroke conforms to the laws of cricket and will not be legislated against.

“While noting the superb execution of the stroke by Kevin Pietersen for England during the recent one-day international against New Zealand, MCC had already acknowledged its existence in the 2000 Laws of Cricket - Law 36.3 - relating to the stance of a batsman.

“MCC accepts that the use of a ‘switch-hit’ may have implications for other laws of the game, principally law 25 (wide ball) and law 36 (lbw), and will continue to research and discuss these implications.

“MCC believes that the ‘switch-hit’ stroke is a difficult shot to execute and that it incurs a great deal of risk for the batsman.

"It also offers bowlers a good chance of taking a wicket and therefore MCC believes that the shot is fair to both batsman and bowlers.

“Furthermore, MCC acknowledges that while bowlers must inform umpires and batsmen of their mode of delivery, they do not provide a warning of the type of delivery that they will bowl (for example, an off-cutter or a slower ball).

"It therefore concludes that the batsman should have the opportunity - should they wish - of executing the ‘switch-hit’ stroke.”