Tag 2nd-test-2011

Among numerous bizarre happenings we've watched on cricket field over the years, today in 2nd test match between India and England at Trent Bridge, we had another incident that will be remembered for a long time to come..

The run out
Ian Bell, on day 3, was batting like an artist and his innings was slowly taking game away from visitors. At the stroke of tea break, Eoin Morgan flicked last ball of Ishant Sharma's over to deep square leg where fielder Praveen Kumar made a mess but somehow, ball stayed in the field of play (as suggested by video highlights footage).

Meanwhile, both batsmen ran 3 runs in a jiffy but Bell, seeing Praveen Kumar hadn't got up to throw the ball back but is laying on ground as if four wasn't saved, instantly started to walk towards the pavilion thinking it was tea. It wasn't, cause umpires hadn't called for it yet as they weren't sure it was indeed a four or not. Praveen Kumar got up outside the boundary ropes, picked the ball and threw it to MS Dhoni who then passed it to Abhinav Mukund who dislodged the bails in two tries.

Indians appealed to square leg umpire Marais Erasmus who in association with Asad Rauf then refered the decision to third umpire Billy Bowden who, after checking all the TV replays available, detected that ball indeed was in play and hence, Bell was given run out.

Crowd started booing and both teams walked off the field for tea break. It was earlier reported that umpires walked into Indian dressing room and asked captain MS Dhoni whether he wanted to withdraw his appeal, for so called spirit of the game, the only way Bell could have resume his innings.

After tea break, umpires and then Indian players walked onto the field amid huge booing from Nottingham crowd but it soon turned into to claps and cheers as they saw Ian Bell walking onto the field again.

During tea break
England captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower knocked on Indian dressing room, talked to Indian captain MS Dhoni and coach Duncan Fletcher. Dhoni went back to have a word with his mates and returned to say ~ we withdraw the appeal.

ECB chief executive David Collier
"The withdrawal of a valid appeal at the tea interval was made in the spirit of cricket by the India team and demonstrates the true spirit in which the game of cricket should be played and the excellent relationship between the ECB and BCCI. The npower Test match series has produced excellent and exciting cricket. The second npower Test match will also now be remembered for demonstrating that the spirit and the manner in which the game is played provides a role model for others to follow."

"On behalf of the ECB I wish to express the England and Wales Cricket Board’s grateful thanks the BCCI and the India team."

History
In 2006, Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka had just reached his century with last man Muthiah Muralitharan who didn't ground his bat perfectly but came down running to his mate to congratulate on his century. Chris Martin threw the ball from the boundary and wicket keeper Brendan McCullum had taken the bails off. at that time, no spirit of the game was discussed as everything that had happened was within the rule!

Recently in West Indies, VVS Laxman was ruled stumped when wicket keeper Carlton Baugh took bails off good 10 seconds after delivery was bowled. Laxman's feet weren't grounded but he wasn't trying any run either but was just walking out of his crease at the end of over. Then also, no spirit of cricket was discussed.