Video: Presence of runner confuses Australian players

Michael Clarke’s expression sums up the Australian mood at being denied this wicket

International batsmen are no longer afforded the luxury of having a runner for them in case of injuries, but as can be seen from one of the last incidents of a runner being allowed to feature in an international match, what they imparted to the game was a lot of confusion, other than their obvious contribution of helping out a batsman in pain.

This funny incident occurred during an ODI between England and Australia in January 2011, earlier in the same year when the law was passed that runners would no more be allowed.

With England’s Ajmal Shehzad having picked up a hamstring injury in the 1st innings, Eoin Morgan was allowed to accompany the No. 9 as a runner when his turn came to bat. Shahzad and James Anderson were at the crease, as Morgan stood a little distance away from the pitch.

There was a lot of confusion between the 3 England players while taking a quick single, but they got it right eventually. It was the Australians who were left red-faced after the incident however.

The Australian players initially jumped in celebrations, thinking that they had got their man, but then were left to ruminate on the strange ways of life when they turned around to see Morgan well inside the crease – only a long distance away from the pitch, and consequently away from the fielder’s ray of vision.

England survived the moment, Michael Clarke looked like a lost puppy, but the match was won by Australia by 51 runs – the series decider in a 5-match series.