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Cricket

James Anderson slams Deepti Sharma- “She was never thinking about bowling that ball.”

The Indian women’s team made history a few weeks ago when they defeated England in the last match of a three-match ODI series. Charlotte Dean’s dismissal in this game last week has sparked further controversy and discussion. Deepti ran a well-set Dean out for backing up at the non-end, striker’s sealing a 16-run triumph and securing the visitors’ 3-0 series sweep.

run outEngland fast bowler James Anderson believes that running a batsman out at the non-end striker’s is not a ‘legitimate dismissal,’ regardless of whether he or she is attempting to back up too far or not before the ball is bowled.

Anderson gave a clear response when questioned about the topic on the BBC’s Tailenders Podcast.

“Well, guess what? I thought to myself, I knew we were going to talk about this today,” he explained. “So, on the train, on the way down, I thought, okay, I’m just going to gather my ideas and try to eloquently put out my views for everyone. I was seething within 30 seconds of thinking about it. It irritates me, and I believe it is because I was raised in teams where we would never even contemplate doing something like that. And yeah, that’s in the rules right now, and they’ve clearly amended it so it’s now a run-out,” Anderson remarked on the BBC’s Tailenders Podcast.

“I think now I really hope that players stay in their crease, just don’t give people the option of doing it. I feel so much for Charlie Dean because she got herself in a position where she could have possibly won the game for England. She managed the game situation brilliantly, I don’t think she was trying to steal a run, she just drifted and that is a natural thing for the batter to do, to walk along with the bowler,” he went on.

Deepti was never intending to bowl that specific ball, according to England’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, and her sights were focused on running Dean out. Anderson stated that because there is no talent involved, he will not consider it a ‘valid’ means of dismissal.

“The issue for me was that Deepti was never thinking about bowling that ball. She was watching Charlie Dean the whole way and the moment she stepped out; she ran her out. That is what frustrates me about that dismissal. There has been a chat about giving warnings and the England camp talked about how there were no warnings. I don’t see it as a legitimate dismissal when I play cricket. Where is the skill in that? It is just a sneaky way of getting someone out, I do not like it,” said the England pacer.

“Charlie Dean was in tears, the handshake from the Indian team, there was no compassion there. They did not even look her in the eye, if there was guilt about the dismissal, then don’t do it then. India had won the series; it was not as if the series was on the line. It left a bitter taste for me, I don’t know. It is not about being me an England player, if I was watching the match between two neutral teams, I still would not have liked it,” Anderson explained.

Anderson also argued that instead of calling the hitter out, the batting side should be penalised runs after a warning if the non-striker backs up.

“I don’t think batters should go down the pitch when the ball has not even delivered, but I don’t think it should be a dismissal, there should be a warning or there can be penalty runs. That would be a better solution to it, just give them a couple of warnings,” said Anderson.

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