Team India's star all-rounder Deepti Sharma showed brilliant game-awareness to run Charlotte Dean out at the non-striker's end during the third and final ODI of the series at Lord's on Saturday. The dismissal meant India sealed a clean-sweep win in the three-match series; however, as usual with such a dismissal, it drew mixed reactions from the cricket fraternity.
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While some lauded Deepti for taking advantage of Dean leaving her crease before the delivery, a host of English cricketers criticised the tactic citing 'spirit of cricket'.
England wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings took to Twitter, to say: "There's surely not a person who has played the game that thinks this is acceptable? Just not cricket."
However, it was Alex Hales' reply that has now gone viral, as he seemed to have justified this mode of dismissal, saying it is not difficult for the batters to leave their crease till the ball is released.
"It shouldn't be difficult for the non striker to stay in their crease til the ball has left the hand," he tweeted.
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Billings chipped in with a sarcastic remark towards Hales in his response. He wrote, “not like you to be different Alex.
India on the other side would be delighted as they gave their bowling legend Jhulan Goswami a befitting farewell. The pacer has been quite key to India’s success for a long time.
It is important to note that earlier this month, the ICC announced certain changes to the playing conditions.
Regarding "running out of the non-striker", the ICC stated: " The Playing Conditions follow the Laws in moving this method of effecting a Run out from the 'Unfair Play' section to the 'Run out' section.
