MCC issues statement regarding Deepti Sharma's Controversial Run-out
Deepti Sharma ran out Charlie Dean at the non-striker's end to close out the Lord's one-dayer against England.
The MCC, cricket's law-making body, reinforced the act of running out the non-striker as an integral part of the game's on-field laws in a statement issued in wake of the controversy surrounding the Deepti Sharma run-out at Lord's on Saturday (September 24).
The body, whose laws are adopted formally at the international stage by the International Cricket Council (ICC), reiterated its longstanding message to the non-strikers: stay within the crease until you've seen the bowler release the ball.
The MCC said while it is good to have "respectful debate" with one section of the fans, commentators, media personnel back the 'spirit of cricket' to be upheld, the run-out of the non-striker represents enforcement of the laws of the sport as they are.
The act of running out a non-striker, who leaves the crease before a bowler has delivered the ball, has been part of the MCC established and ICC adopted laws of cricket.
But a section of cricket followers continues to attach a sense of taboo to it, stigmatising the act on the bowler's part when he is merely going through with another form of legal dismissal.
MCC statement after Deepti Sharma run-out
"Respectful debate is healthy and should continue, as where one person sees the bowler as breaching the Spirit in such examples, another will point at the non-striker gaining an unfair advantage by leaving their ground early," the MCC stressed in their statement in response to the hue and cry around Deepti Sharma getting Charlie Dean run-out at the other end.
"MCC's message to non-strikers continues to be to remain in their ground until they have seen the ball leave the bowler's hand. Then dismissals, such as the one seen yesterday, cannot happen," the body added.
"Whilst yesterday was indeed an unusual end to an exciting match, it was properly officiated and should not be considered as anything more."
Deepti got Dean out for backing up too far with England needing 16 off 39 balls for the last wicket to avoid an ODI series whitewash at the hands of India at Lord's, leading to a controversy and debates even as her act was well within the laws of the sport.
The MCC reiterated in their statement that the act of running out the non-striker has been moved from the laws' 'unfair play' section to the 'run-out' section, which destigmatises the act to some extent.
The change will come into effect from the beginning of October.
"This was done to clarify this matter and to place an onus on batters to ensure that they do not leave the crease at the non-striker’s end, prior to a bowler releasing the ball," the MCC said.