MANKADED

                                       The game of cricket has got many controversies and mankading is one among them. The mankading is nothing but making the no striker batsmen to get run out, before a single ball is being bowled in that particular over. The ball is not counted though, yet there is a chance of taking wickets. This is mainly applicable in the case, where the non striker in keen on getting back the strike. As soon as the bowler starts his run up, the non striker might be ready to run towards the striker's end and the distance needed by him to cover the non striker end might get reduced. 

                                     Many people have claimed this as an act of cheating and the spirit of the game would be broken, if this kind of dismissal is being allowed. Even though it is completely legal by the laws of the game, it was considered against the cricketing spirit, despite being called official by the rules. Many were not aware of the rule which gives bowler a complete right to run the non striker out, before releasing the ball. Once a bowler enters his delivery stride, it does not give the non striker the freedom to move out of his crease.

                                     How are the situations any different, really? In both the cases the batsman is attempting to gain advantage, in one by reaching the pitch of the ball and negating the spin, in the other by reducing the distance he must cover to complete a run. A wicket keeper who stumps a batsmen is lauded for his sharp work, yet an eagle eyed bowler who mankads is usually condemned as unsporting. Certainly a mankad is no less fair than when a striker's straight drive rockets through the bowler's hands and hits the stumps with non-striker out of his ground. Of course, umpires rightly treat that as they do a regulation run out. Just as they should with the mankad.