MCC backflip on Mankad ruling

The Marylebone Cricket Club – author and upholder of cricket's on-field laws – has overturned its own interpretation of this week's IPL 'Mankad' controversy and declared it contrary to the game's spirit.

In the immediate aftermath of India spinner Ravi Ashwin's opportunistic run-out of England international Jos Buttler, the MCC equivocated on the mode and the motive of the incident before accepting Ashwin's view that it legitimately represented ethical behaviour.

However, after closer examination of footage from the match between Ashwin's Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals (for whom Buttler plays), the game's law-makers have now pronounced the action as "unfair" and contrary to the Spirit of Cricket.

"Having extensively reviewed the incident again and after further reflection we don’t think it was within the spirit of the game," MCC laws manager Fraser Stewart told the UK's 'The Telegraph' newspaper.

"We believe the pause was too long between the time Ashwin reached the crease and the moment it was reasonable to expect the ball would be delivered.

"When Buttler could have reasonably expected the ball to be delivered, he was in his ground.

"It is also unfair, and against the Spirit of Cricket, for non-strikers to leave their ground too early.

"All these debates wouldn’t be necessary if non‑strikers remained in their ground until the ball is on its way down the pitch."

The public backflip by the London-based custodian of cricket's laws - to which the MCC retains sole right of addition and revision, albeit in consultation with the International Cricket Council - is likely to further inflame debate over the controversial practice.

This week's incident sparked a blaze of social media commentary, with current and former players either arguing in defence of Ashwin's decision (citing its clear vindication within the game's law book) or howling that it breached the notion of fair play.

Ex-Australia leg spinner Shane Warne, now serving as an ambassador to the Rajasthan Royals, described Ashwin's move as a "disgraceful and low act".

Others, such as Warne's former Victoria and Australia teammate Dean Jones, noted that Ashwin's actions were within the game's laws but added he would not have taken the same action without issuing a prior warning to the batter.

The act of a bowler giving the impression they are about to deliver the ball but, instead, effecting the run-out of a batter who has left the crease at the non-striker's end has been a source of ethical conjecture since it was first completed in a Test by India's Vinoo Mankad against Australia in 1947.

In their earlier pronouncement on the Ashwin-Buttler incident, the MCC defended the need for the law as it stands in order to dissuade non-strikers from leaving their ground too early.

"To clarify, it has never been in the laws that a warning should be given to the non-striker and nor is it against the spirit of cricket to run out a non-striker who is seeking to gain an advantage by leaving his/her ground early," the MCC said in its earlier statement.

"Some feel that Ashwin delayed his action to allow Buttler the chance to leave his ground and that Buttler was in his ground when he expected the ball to be released.

"If it was a deliberate delay, that would be unfair and against the spirit of cricket. Ashwin claims this not to be the case."

Ashwin, who was involved in a similar controversy during an ODI against Sri Lanka at the Gabba in 2012 whereby the appeal for dismissal was ultimately withdrawn by India captain Virender Sehwag, rejected claims his most recent 'Mankad' was a premeditated ploy.

“It was pretty instinctive," Ashwin told reporters after the match in Jaipur.

"I actually didn’t even load (in preparation to deliver the ball).

"He (Buttler) left the crease, that’s it.

"That’s always been my take on it because that’s my half of the crease."