Adam Zampa attempts Mankad in Melbourne Stars vs Melbourne Renegades clash, video, Brett Lee, Brad Haddin not happy
Melbourne Stars captain Adam Zampa has found himself in hot water after an attempted Mankad during a BBL clash with cross-town rivals the Melbourne Renegades.
The incident occurred during the final over of the Renegades’ innings when Zampa attempted to run out Tom Rogers at the non-striker’s end after Rogers had backed up too far.
Zampa, a regular in Australia’s T20 side, went through his bowling action and broke the stumps at the bowler’s end, catching Rogers well short of his ground, and then appealed for the wicket.
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The on-field umpire Gerard Abood sent the decision up stairs before TV umpire Shawn Craig determined that Zampa’s arm had gone beyond the vertical and he had completed his bowling action without letting go of the ball, therefore ruling Rogers to be not out.
Zampa was roundly booed by the fans in attendance at the MCG following the controversial act as the two teams came off the ground for the innings break.
Renegades wicketkeeper Sam Harper was inside the team’s locker room and said described the moment when Rogers returned.
“I was padding up and he came in fuming, I didn’t know what had happened. If he’s going to bowl 140 km/h absolute seeds, he should get Mankadded more often,” Harper said while mic’d up for Fox Cricket after Rogers picked up a wicket in his first over.
Stars coach David Hussey indicated that had the third umpire ruled the decision to be out, his side would’ve withdrawn the appeal.
”It’s not the right way to play cricket, yet it was more of a warning for the batter not to leave too early because at the end of the innings that’s what generally happens,” he told Fox Cricket during the Stars’ run chase.
Zampa’s actions left a sour taste in the mouth of Australian great Brett Lee, who suggested an alternative method to stop batters from backing up too far too early.
“I don’t like that Mankad rule whatsoever,” Lee said on Fox Cricket’s coverage.
“I reckon they should take it out of their (the bowlers’) hands. The best way to do it is to say to the batter if you leave your crease you get docked five runs. Take it away from the bowler.
“You can have the third umpire look at the front foot for a no ball. If they leave their crease before he bowls a ball, they only have to do it once and if they lose by five runs they’ll never do it again.
“I don’t think it’s great. I just don’t like seeing that in the game of cricket. It doesn’t look good but they’re both within their right to do it.”
Lee’s view was backed up by former Australian keeper Brad Haddin, who suggested that a quick two from the ball before his Mankad attempt may have led to Zampa performing the controversial act.
“Rogers actually wasn’t backing up that far when he (Zampa) did go past the vertical,” he said.
“I think Adam Zampa was peeved the ball before when they ran a two to deep long on. I think he thought Rogers was leaving the crease too early.
“I don’t like the look. Zampa wanted to make a statement with it (but) I think Rogers was within the rules.”
Zampa’s actions came barely a week after Australia’s Test players threatened to Mankad South Africa’s batters in the final Test starting Wednesday.
Australian paceman Mitchell Starc took issue with South Africa’s Theunis de Bruyn for backing up too far after warning him during the Test match.
Skipper Pat Cummins then gave his paceman and the rest of his team license to Mankad if the Proteas continued to “take the mickey” by backing up too far.
”Yep,” Cummins said when Starc asked him for permission to Mankad in a press conference following the completion of the Boxing day Test.
“You’re allowed to warn them a couple of times, but if they keep taking the mickey…”
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