The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has decriminalized playing a batsman before the ball is bowled at the non-striker’s end (mankading). Australian opener David Warner still believes that the issue is related to the spirit of the game but he also considers it to be the fault of the batsman.
The MCC, the custodian of cricket laws, has removed this controversial method of run out from ‘unfair play’ and placed it in the category of common run out. David Warner said ahead of the second Test cricket match against Pakistan starting on Saturday, “I still believe that the history of the game tells us that it is an issue related to the spirit of the game.” You don’t expect players to do that.
He further said, “I think in limited overs cricket we have seen more of this when the batsman goes ahead for runs. As a batsman you have to stay at your crease. No doubt if you get run out like this it is your fault. You have been told not to leave the crease until the ball has left the bowler’s hand. So don’t do that.”
After this rule came into force on Wednesday, Sachin Tendulkar, who was called the God of Cricket, had said that, I have always felt uncomfortable with the use of the word Mankaded when getting out like this. I am very happy that it has now been converted to run out. I think it should have always been run out. At the same time, he also expressed happiness over the catch-out rule.
It is worth noting that in common parlance, the run out done before throwing the ball to the non-striker is called Mankading (or Mankading). India’s legendary all-rounder Vinoo Mankad had twice dismissed Australian opener Bill Brown in this way in 1947. It was only after this that such run outs came to be called Mankading.