10 facts you need to know about 'Mankading'

A couple of days ago, an interesting scenario presented itself during the 5th ODI between Sri Lanka and England. Sachitra Senanayake of Sri Lanka clipped off the bails during his bowling stride when non-striker Jos Butler was backing up his partner. An appeal was made and Buttler was declared ‘run-out’.This stirred up a controversy regarding “spirit of the game”, but this was not for the first time it happened during a cricket match. This act is known (informally) as ‘Mankading’ in Cricket.We will find out here, some interesting facts about ‘Mankading’ that as cricket fans, most of us must be unaware of.

#1 The name \'Mankading\'

It happened during the 1947/48 India tour of Australia, in the second test at Sydney when Vinoo Mankad of India ran out Bill Brown while delivering the ball. He held on to it and removed the bails with the non-striker backing up well away from his crease.

This was the second time Mankad had dismissed Brown in this fashion on the tour, having already done it in an earlier match against an Australian XI. The dismissal got extensive coverage in the Australian press, with Mankad being accused of unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Don Bradman, Aussie skipper at that time famously defended Mankad for the act. This remains the most famous incident of its type and hence the term ‘Mankading’ was coined.

#2 It existed before cricket went global

This tweet by MohanDas Menon, senior cricket analyst and statistician gives an interesting insight about the situation.

Is it legal? Yes sir, since the early 1800s.

https://twitter.com/mohanstatsman/status/474088300769464320

#3 What do the laws say?

Since the “Vinoo Mankad Incident”, the rules have been changed regarding this act of dismissal, so that no bowler could dismiss a batsman once he has entered his delivery stride.

However, under article 42.15 it remains legal to run out a non-striker who has strayed outside his crease after he started his run up, but before he has entered his delivery stride. This meant that once bowler had landed his back foot, he could not Mankad the batsman.

This was revised in 2011 under article 42.11, which states that,

“The bowler is permitted, before releasing the ball and provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one of the over. If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal dead ball as soon as possible.”

#4 How does the ICC law differ from the MCC law?

• MCC Law

• Law 42.15: Bowler attempting to run out non-striker before delivery

• The bowler is permitted, before entering his delivery stride, to attempt to run out the non-striker. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one of the over. If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal Dead ball as soon as possible.

• ICC Law

• 42.11Bowler attempting to run out non-striker before delivery

• The bowler is permitted,before releasing the balland provided he has not completed his usual delivery swing, to attempt to run out the non-striker. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one of the over. if the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the non-striker, the umpire shall call and signal dead ball as soon possible.

#5 Mankading in Test Matches

Other than the Vinoo Mankad Incident, there have been only 3 such incidents of Mankading.

West Indies great Charlie Grifith clipped the bails when Aussie Ian Redpath was backing up in 1959-60, at Adelaide, hence making Australia yet another victim of this act. In another such incident, Derek Randal of New Zealand was ‘Mankaded’ by England’s Ewen Chatfield at Christchurch in 1977-78.

The last act of Mankading in test matches was done BY an Aussie Alan Hurst against Pakistan’s Sikander Bakht in 1978-79 at Perth.

#6 Mankading in ODIs

There have been a total of 4 instances of Mankading in ODIs including the recent one between Senanyake and Buttler. The first one happened back in 1974-75 which involved Greg Chappell as the bowler. He dismissed Brian Luckhurst of England at Melbourne.

Zimbabwean all-rounder Grant Flower was a victim too when he got dismissed by Deepak Patel of New Zealand when Kiwis were touring Zimbabwe in 1992-93. In the same year, Kapil Dev Mankaded Peter Kirsten of South Africa at Port Elizabeth.

As seen in the video, poor Kirsten was ghastly enraged and shocked while Kapil Dev was clearly frustated by Kirsten backing up too far.

#7 Murali Karthik - A first class Mankade\"

So far only two instances of Mankading have been seen in first-class cricket, both of which involved Murli Karthik as a culprit of performing the act.

Playing for Surrey against Sommerset in 2012 at Taunton, Karthik flipped the bails off while the non-striker Alex Burrow was out of the popping crease backing up his partner.

Later, last year in 2013, in the Ranji Trophy tournament back home, Karthik (playing for Railways) again performed a similar act, this time on Sandipan Das of Bengal.

We must admit, Karthik is a legend, when it comes to ‘Mankading’!

#8 The Ashwin-Thirimanne incident

During the CB series of 2011-12, Ravichandran Ashwin of India clipped the bails off when Sri Lankan Lahiru Thirumanne was backing up way out of his crease.

The appeal was made by the bowler, but the umpire didn't directly give Thirumanne out. They rather decided to consult the senior most players in the fielding side in Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag (who was also the skipper for the match).

Sachin urged to withdraw the appeal in favour of the “spirit of the game” hence allowing the Sri Lankan to keep batting though legally he was out.

#9 Other cases of \"Non-Mankading\"

Walsh–Jaffar : Legendary Caribbean pacer Courtney Walsh famously refused to Mankad last man Saleem Jaffar of Pakistan during a crucial match in the 1987 World Cup, but let him off with a warning. Pakistan went on to win the match, while the defeat cost the West Indies a place in the semi-final.

Rafique–Gul : The same thing was repeated in a 2003 Test match in Multan between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Mohammad Rafique of Bangladesh did not run out Umar Gul of Pakistan though he was out of his crease.

Pakistan eventually won the Test match by 1 wicket.

#10 About the \"Spirit of the Game\"

About the Vinoo Mankad incident, Don Bradman, the greatest of them all, who was also the skipper of Australia at the time, writes in his autobiography,

“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.”

Mankading in cricket can be seen similar to what “touching the piece” means in chess. In an unsaid tone, its taken for granted that these acts are against the sportsman spirit. But the other side of the coin also states that it is perfectly legal as a type of run out and can be a handy underhand aid during desperate times.