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'Worse than a Mankad': Cricket world erupts over 'extraordinary' dismissal

Nick Larkin (pictured right) didn't realise he was out of his crease and was run out by Aussie captain Tim Paine.
Cricket fans erupted over this dismissal where Nick Larkin (pictured batting) didn't realise he was out of his crease and was run out by Aussie captain Tim Paine. (Images: Cricket Network)

Australian cricket captain Tim Paine has pulled off an ‘extraordinary’ stumping in the Sheffield Shield that sparked a debate on whether it was deemed against the spirit of the game like a ‘Mankad’.

On Day 3 of the Sheffield Shield clash, NSW were building a handy lead with Moses Henriques notching 113 and Nick Larkin 161 as the Blues charged to 6-403 with a lead of 228 runs over the Tigers at tea.

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But as the match started to slip away from Tasmania, quick-thinking from wicket-keeper Paine helped dismiss Larkin.

The controversy occurred when Larkin played and missed a beautiful delivery, after a forward defensive stroke, which Paine collected well-behind behind the stumps.

Larkin held his pose, and appeared to be contemplate how he missed the delivery, when Paine underarmed the ball back and hit the stumps.

To Larkin’s surprise, he was out of his crease.

“That one has gone right through Larkin, another fantastic delivery,” the commentator said.

“Now Tim Paine has got a wicket from being a very smart cricketer. Now that’s how you get Larkin out, when he doesn’t expect it.”

The commentator said Larkin “didn’t know much about that one”, which appeared to irk many on social media.

A debate erupted over whether the ball was ‘dead’ or whether it was fair to dismiss Larkin when he had no idea he was out of his crease. While others, like the commentators, applauded Paine for his quick-thinking.

Regardless of the debate on social media, it was a legal dismissal and the Aussie captain’s quick-thinking to remove Larkin handed his team a chance after tea.

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Last year, Ravi Ashwin reignited the debate when he dismissed Jos Buttler at the non-striker’s end by way of a ‘Mankad’.

The method of dismissal is legal but one seen by many as going against the spirit of the game, at least unless the batsman had been persistently backing up and thus warned by Ashwin first.

The incident was all the more contentious as Buttler was still in his crease when Ashwin arrived, only for the bowler to pull out of his action and wait for him to step forward before whipping off the bails.

Mitchell Starc (pictured left and right) warning Adil Rashid for leaving his crease, but avoided a mankad.
Mitchell Starc warned Adil Rashid (pictured) for leaving his crease, but avoided a mankad. (Images: Twitter)

Since then many players have opted not to perform the Mankad, but rather warn the batsman.

The latest example in international cricket was Australia’s Mitch Starc avoiding the Mankad and warning English batsman Adil Rashid instead.

Starc was praised for the sportsmanship.

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