Michael Neser’s remarkable juggling catch near the boundary ropes in the Big Bash League on Sunday has reignited a huge debate as to whether the Law regarding such dismissals needs to be amended.

When Jordan Silk lofted Mark Steketee high towards the cover boundary during Sydney Sixers’ match against Brisbane Heat, Neser took the catch and stumbled over the ropes.

In doing so, he tried to flick the ball back but succeeded in only diverting it over the rope where he was forced to juggle again with his feet in the air before taking the catch on the field of play.

The TV umpire checked the dismissal and ruled it was out, with Neser’s feet not touching the floor outside the rope when he had the ball in hand.

Neser told 7Cricket: “I knew (Matt) Renshaw did it a couple of years ago. I didn’t know if they had changed the rules so I thought I would give it a crack. Thankfully they didn’t change the rules.”

It was entirely within the Laws of the game and was correctly adjudged to be out, but stirred a debate over whether it should be allowed. One view is that it rewards outstanding skill and awareness, as shown by Neser, but the alternative point is that the ball and the fielder have both been over the boundary.

The MCC rule book states: “The ball in play is to be regarded as being grounded beyond the boundary if a fielder, grounded beyond the boundary, touches the ball (or if) a fielder, after catching the ball within the boundary, becomes grounded beyond the boundary while in contact with the ball, before completing the catch.”

Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood was quizzed about the controversial dismissal on Monday at the SCG ahead of the New Year’s Test.

“I didn’t like it all,” Hazlewood said. “I think it should be back to the old rule where you have to be in the field of play and that’s your last step before you throw it back in. It was something different and ‘Ness’ is pretty cluey with the rules. It worked for them...

“Players are definitely aware of the rule.”