Cricketer’s ‘horrible’ act in Victorian grade match sparks outrage

A Victorian grade cricket match has become the centre of heated debate after a bowler secured victory with two “Mankad” dismissals.

Hawthorn paceman Sen Sathyajith ran out two Casey South Melbourne batters at the nonstriker’s end.

A Victorian grade cricket match has become the centre of heated debate after a bowler secured victory with two “Mankad” dismissals on the weekend.

During Saturday’s second-grade contest at Walton Galt Reserve, Kingston Hawthorn paceman Sen Sathyajith ran out two Casey South Melbourne batters at the nonstriker’s end to help his club clinch a 13-run win.

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Casey South Melbourne were set a target of 204 for victory, and the visitors got themselves into a commanding position at 5/172 in the 40th over.

But after a couple of quick wickets fell, Sathyajith ran out No. 8 batter Isaiah Jassal at the nonstriker’s end to leave the Swans reeling at 8/181.

And then with 14 runs required for victory, Sathyajith once again attempted the “Mankad” run out to dismiss No. 9 batter Sachin Halangode, securing the tense win.

Footage of the decisive wicket circulated social media platforms this week, provoking outrage from the Australian cricket community.

Although the “Mankad” is completely within the Laws of Cricket, many still consider it to be against the Spirit of the Game. It remains a divisive topic in the sport.

Former Victorian wicketkeeper Adam Crosthwaite tweeted: “This is so bad. This is horrible. Cannot believe the people in this post praising the bowler. Are you kidding?”

pic.twitter.com/6HHRSb9W57

— Jacques Augustin (@jacquesyy) February 19, 2022

Bit of drama in the @vicpremcricket Second XI today after the bowler, without delivering the ball, ran out the batsman at the non-striker's end. It was the last wicket of the match and apparently the second such dismissal of the innings.

— Paul Amy (@PaulAmy375) February 19, 2022

Oh boy. To win the game! (Ignore score strap down the bottom). Second Mankad for the innings. https://t.co/rAVduERK03

— Tom Morris (@tommorris32) February 19, 2022

According to Fox Cricket, the Hawks attempted the “Mankad” on at least two other occasions during the innings.

The Herald Sun reported that Premier Cricket manager Liam Murphy is investigating the incident.

“Some people think it’s ordinary and not within the spirit of cricket. Others say it’s a law of the game and it is what it is,” Hawks president Brett Sebire told The Herald Sun.

It was later reported that Sathyajith had received a 10-match suspension after facing the tribunal on charges relating to his conduct in the match against Casey South Melbourne.

Law 41.16 was amended in 2017 to say: “If the nonstriker is out of their ground from the moment the ball comes into play to the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the bowler is permitted to attempt to run them out. Whether the attempt is successful or not, the ball shall not count as one in the over.

“If the bowler fails in an attempt to run out the nonstriker, the umpire shall call and signal dead ball as soon as possible.”

Indian spin bowler Ravichandran Ashwin made headlines in 2019 for running out England batter Jos Buttler at the nonstriker’s end in the Indian Premier League.

“To clarify, it has never been in the Laws that a warning should be given to the nonstriker and nor is it against the spirit of cricket to run out a nonstriker who is seeking to gain an advantage by leaving his/her ground early,” he explained at the time.

“It is there in the rules of the game. I don’t know where the understanding of the spirit of the game comes from because quite naturally if it’s there in the rules, it’s there.”

Ravichandran Ashwin runs out Jos Buttler. Picture: Twitter/@ESPNcricinfo

Australian cricket great Shane Warne led a chorus of outrage, condemning Ashwin’s act on social media.

“So disappointed in Ravi Ashwin as a captain and as a person,” he wrote.

“All captains sign the IPL wall and agree to play in the spirit of the game. (Ashwin) had no intention of delivering the ball — so it should have been called a dead ball.

“Ashwin’s actions were simply disgraceful and I hope the BCCI doesn’t condone this sort of behaviour in the IPL.

“Any player in the game that does that to anyone is an embarrassment to the game and as captain it’s even more disgraceful.”

Cameroon cricketer Maeva Douma became a cult hero last year for dismissing four Uganda batters via “Mankad” in one innings during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifiers.

The controversial tactic is named after Indian cricketer Vinoo Mankad, who twice ran out Australian opener Bill Brown during a Test of match at the SCG in 1947.

Originally published as Cricketer’s ‘horrible’ act in Victorian grade match sparks outrage