The Mankad that wasn't
After the incident at the Gabba, where R Ashwin appealed for a run out against Lahiru Thirimanne who was backing up too far at the non-striker's end, Greg Baum, in the Sydney Morning Herald , dug up some history of the beginnings of the Mankad.
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
After the incident at the Gabba, where R Ashwin appealed for a run out against Lahiru Thirimanne who was backing up too far at the non-striker's end, Greg Baum, in the Sydney Morning Herald, dug up some history of the beginnings of the Mankad.
Mankad, a left-armer, twice ran out Australian opener Bill Brown while backing up on India's tour of Australia in 1947. The first time was in a tour match at the SCG, and followed a clear warning from Mankad to Brown. The match is better remembered for Bradman's 100th first-class century ...
But Bradman, the Australian captain, was mystified by the fuss. ''There was absolutely no feeling in the matter as far as we were concerned, for we considered it quite a legitimate part of the game,'' he subsequently wrote. ''For the life of me, I can't understand why [the press] questioned his sportsmanship. The laws of cricket make it quite clear that the nonstriker must keep within his ground until the ball has been delivered. If not, why is the provision there which enables the bowler to run him out? By backing up too far or too early, the nonstriker is very obviously gaining an unfair advantage.''
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo