England fast-bowler Stuart Broad has faced fan ire on social media for accepting Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)’s decision to remove non-striker end leakage from unfair play laws. Broad again referred to the nature of the dismissal as mankad, saying it takes “zero skill” to dismiss a batter at the end of the non-striker.
Broad’s comments even came as batting master Sachin Tendulkar welcomed the MCC ruling, saying he’s always been averse to the term “mankaded” used for that dismissal.
The MCC decided on Wednesday to remove the non-striker run-outs law from its unfair play section. It refers to run-outs at the non-striker’s end when batters go back too far.
Quite often, spirit of cricket debates were sparked over the dismissal. R Ashwin was criticized in the 2019 IPL for passing England’s Jos Buttler at the end of the non-forward after the latter backed up a little too far.
“So the mankad is no longer unfair and is now a legitimate dismissal. Wasn’t it always a legitimate dismissal and whether it’s unfair is subjective? I think it’s unfair and I wouldn’t consider dismissing a racquet it’s about skill and the mankad requires zero skill,” Broad tweeted.
A segment of cricket fans on social media took issue with Broad’s comments, bringing up the infamous Ashes episode in which the England star refused to go after he pushed Ashton Agar into the first slip and asked if it was be fair not to go.
After Broad, how about we name a bowler who hits six sixes in an over?! https://t.co/XlcXKOk6mD
— Tee, not reckless (@crickesque) March 10, 2022
Well, next time Broad Bowls, non-forwarders can get a good 3ft out of the crease https://t.co/XtzyRRl8mT
– Suhas Bharadwaj (@srbharadwaj) March 10, 2022
skill my foot Can the non-forward stand halfway?
Oh, and let’s not even talk about winning a World Cup with a throw deflected to the limit, which was by no means skillful! https://t.co/wsYPJahruA
— Sudarshan V (@_sudarshan) March 10, 2022
If the person who didn’t leave after edging the ball thinks it’s against the spirit, we can all agree that it’s in the spirit of the game https://t.co/kHXA9pShwr
— Saurabh ???? (@juggernautsaab) March 10, 2022
Presence of Mind is also a skill dear https://t.co/FdlHONVJY0
— Bharathi (Team Ladki Wale) (@Inlovewithsun_) March 10, 2022
Yes we saw your ability after sliding straight and not walking.
Cry more buddy! https://t.co/UguJ8YASeJ
— legendrock31 (@Munnaaaaahhhhh) March 10, 2022
TENDULKAR PRAISES MCC JUDGMENTS
Meanwhile, Tendulkar said he supports two key decisions by the MCC, including the decision to put a new batter on strike in the event of a catch being dismissed.
“The MCC Committee has introduced new rules for cricket and I strongly support some of them. The first is the release from Mankading. I’ve always felt uncomfortable about this particular layoff being called Mankaded,” Tendulkar said in a video message.
“I’m really glad it was changed to phase out. It should always have been phased out in my opinion. So this is good news for all of us. I wasn’t comfortable with all of this, but that won’t be the case anymore.”
“And on the second, where the batter is released and caught, the new batter has to come and face the ball. The new batter takes the strike.
“It’s perfectly fair because when a bowler has successfully picked a wicket, it’s only fair that a bowler be given a chance to bowl to a new batter. This new rule is good and well done,” he said.
