[Skarecrow]

While I understand the confusion over this play because of the status of the ball in flight, it is my position that the text of the rule itself, not the four points expression, is what we should look at and that it is clear enough as is.

RULE 9, Section 9
ART. 1 . . . A player shall not be the first to touch a ball after it has been in team control in the frontcourt, if he/she or a teammate last touched or was touched by the ball in the frontcourt before it went to the backcourt.


I have always said that in your scenario A3 is not the last to touch the ball in the frontcourt, rather this player is merely the first to touch the ball in the backcourt despite the status of the ball changing at the exact moment A3 touches the ball. Whichever opponent batted the ball into the air was the last player to touch the ball in the frontcourt.


So my take on this play is that the actual text of the rule covers this play just fine and that it is legal. [/B][/QUOTE]
I might be wrong, and probably am, but if it is batted in the air by the defense, then it is not backcourt for A3 to catch it...If it is batted into backcourt by A1 or A2, and then A3 catches it, it IS backcourt....how can it be anything but? Skarecrow