Cape Town - Former Proteas batsman Daryll Cullinan says he has no problem with the controversial manner in which the West Indies Under-19s beat Zimbabwe on Tuesday.
With Zimbabwe needing just three runs to win in the final over of their ICC Under-19 World Cup group stage clash in Chittagong, 17-year-old Keemo Paul from the West Indies decided to take matters into his own hands.
Zimbabwe had just one wicket in hand as Paul ran up to deliver the first ball of the 50th over, only to run-out non-striker Richard Ngarava.
Paul never had any intention of bowling the ball, and the successful "Mankad" ensured the West Indies' progression to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
It is widely considered bad sportsmanship but the third umpire had no other choice but to give the batsman out.
Several pundits heavily criticised the West Indies' conduct, but Cullinan
had a different view, explaining his argument via his Facebook page on Tuesday:
“Many missing the point re West Indies run out today. I have no problem with it. The law is clear for all to read. Before 2011, once the bowler had landed in his delivery stride, with his back foot, the batsman could set off with gay abandon! The ball is not in play yet. Name another sport where this happens? Unfair advantage was been gained. The rule was changed for this very purpose and the bowler does not have to warn the batsman of his intentions either. Essentially batsmen can only set off now once the ball has left the bowlers hand. Sounds fair to me. The only thing is that the fielding captain has to be approached by the umpires to give his final approval of the dismissal or not. This is another oddity about cricket, where else and for that matter any other sport, can a rule that has been clearly infringed, have a captain excuse it, with the officials and the law books blessing? My question to all is this, had the ball been bowled and the batsmen ran and the non-striker got in by an inch, he did so because he had an inch head-start. Shouldn't the fielding side have the right to appeal, even if the batsman, who in this case wasn't trying to gain an advantage? We splitting hairs here but we go to huge lengths in cricket with technology to prove a decision right or wrong which can make a massive difference between losing and winning a game. How much more does a ball need to clip the stump to be given out or miss it to be given not out? Batsmen need to know the rule and in a situation like this, with the potential of what we saw today, even more so. If we wish to shout out loud about what's in the spirit of the game or not, well then batsmen must start walking. Not the best way to win a game but rules are rules.”