Fair Game If Batters Are Backing Up And Are Out Of Crease By A Long Way - David Warner On MCC's Rule Change On 'Mankading'

Australian opener David Warner believes that the spirit of cricket debate will never end regarding the infamous ‘Mankading’ dismissal in cricket. Recently, the MCC moved Mankading from the ‘Unfair’ to ‘Run-out’ category.

The decision to do so was done as a favour to bowlers who are often seen in poor light if that sort of method was employed to run out a batter. Nevertheless, the change will see the batters become a bit more cautious of how far they back up.

If they end up moving outside a little too much, they deserve to be dismissed and that would be fair game, as per Warner. However, he still believes the bowlers won’t be doing it due to the spirit of the cricket factor.

“I still think the history of the game suggests it’s a spirit of cricket thing. You don’t expect players to do that. I do agree with the fact that if you are backing up, and you’re out of your crease by a long way (you are fair game).”

“I think it happened more predominantly at the end of a white-ball 50-over games, or obviously in T20 cricket we’ve seen it but at the end of the day, as a batsman, you’ve got to stay in your crease. There’s no doubt about that, and if you’re silly enough to get caught out like that and run out, that’s your own fault. You’re told not to leave before the bowler lets the ball go, so just don’t do it,” Warner told from Karachi.

David Warner hoping bowlers don’t go looking to effect ‘Mankading’

The term Mankading was coined after Vinoo Mankad ran out an Aussie batter back in 1947. The moniker stuck with the cricketing fraternity and it came back to light when Ravichandran Ashwin did the same to Jos Buttler. With changes to the dismissal itself, bowlers might end up keeping an eye on the non-striker far too often.

“I think what’s important for the game of cricket is that bowlers don’t be looking for that, because then you’re going to slow the game down even more. I know from before, being a captain, it can be frustrating and you’re taking time out of the game. So there’s some areas there that need to be addressed, but that’s on an individual basis,” Warner further added.

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