scratch by any reasonable rules . . .
I can't be sure if the nine is off the playing surface or not, cue ball is. The cue ball is scratched, if the nine falls when the cue ball is removed then it is considered pocketed.
I do like the old bar room play it where it lays rule. When someone had rambled off from the table when I was shooting and I scratched I usually placed the cue ball on the rail or on the light. When anyone asked if I scratched I'd tell them, "Nope, play it where it lays!" What was really funny is how often bar room players would start trying to figure out how to shoot the ball back then! No sissy rules to take the fun out of play. :thumbup:
Every once in awhile it was possible to play a timed shot where the cue ball went in the jaws and a ball blocked the entire table coming in behind it. Very few people could make a legal jump from that kind of lock up even today, back then it was the cause of much head scratching and a few arguments. If you could have the object ball stay touching the cue ball it was the ultimate lock up safety and the old mud balls made that easier than two balls of the same size and weight.
Hu