Cricket divided over Zampa’s failed Mankad dismissal in Big Bash League

Melbourne Stars captain Adam Zampa says he would have no issue attempting another Mankad dismissal after sparking controversy during a heated Big Bash League derby loss to the Melbourne Renegades.

Tuesday night’s clash at the MCG reached a flashpoint when Zampa tried to run out Renegades tailender Tom Rogers as the non-striker crept out of his crease.

A video review led to Rogers being given not out because Zampa’s bowling arm had gone past its highest point before the legspinner reached back to knock the bails off.

Rogers had the last laugh, destroying the Stars’ batting order as he snared career-best figures of 5-16 to steer the Renegades to a 33-run win.

Zampa said he “saw red” when he spotted Rogers trying to steal ground. “I was well within my rights to do it,” Zampa said. “It’s in the rule book. It’s well within the rules. As you saw, I just got my technique wrong and he was almost halfway down the wicket.”

The MCC, which rules on such actions from the section of the game’s laws governing “unfair play” as to the provisions around run-outs, said the umpires were correct.

But injured Stars batter, Joe Burns, defended Zampa’s attempt, calling any batter outside of their crease “fair game”.

“Regarding a mankad, what is the difference between being stumped at the strikers end and being mankadded [sic] at the non strikers end really,” Burns tweeted. “This coming from a batter – we should just stay in the crease. Not to mention how tight run-outs are these days, every cm counts. Fair game.”

Former Australia paceman Brett Lee disagreed, saying on Fox Sports’ match coverage he did not like the rule “whatsoever”.

“I reckon they should take it out of their hands,” Lee said. “The best way to do it is to say to the batsman, ‘if you leave your crease you get docked five runs’. Take it away from the bowler … I just don’t like seeing that in the game of cricket.”

Cricket’s latest Mankad controversy came less than a week after a tense Boxing Day Test exchange between Mitch Starc and Theunis de Bruyn, when the Australian quick threatened to run out his South African opponent.

It occurred during the final over of the Renegades’ innings as they posted 141-7, having been sent in to bat. The Stars managed just 108-9 in reply, failing to recover after Rogers tore through the top order.

The right-arm paceman claimed 3-11 in his first two overs as the Renegades reduced their hosts to 18-4 in the fifth. Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2-7) also strangled the Stars, bowling 17 dot balls in his four overs.

Rogers said he personally would not attempt to Mankad a batter but insisted he wasn’t fazed by Zampa’s decision.

“I’m a little bit confused by the rule but because it’s been flavour of the month for a little while I was probably staying in my crease for a little bit longer than I have in the past,” Rogers said.

“I thought I was going to be ok … but the umpires are doing a good job and luckily it was not out.”

Stars coach David Hussey said his team would have withdrawn the appeal if Rogers had been given out, but Zampa wasn’t sure. Zampa said he would not have followed through with a Mankad attempt earlier in the innings.

“Tenth over of the game if they’re trying to pinch ground then it’s probably more of a warning,” he said.

“So late in the innings with two balls left, even if I Mankad someone and run him out then they’ve still got wickets in hand … so it doesn’t really make that much difference to the game.”

The result ended the Renegades’ four-match losing skid and balanced their season record at 4-4, but came at a cost when Shaun Marsh injured a hamstring while batting.

Marsh (32 off 35) matched Martin Guptill (32 off 27) and Mackenzie Harvey (32 not out off 23) as the Renegades’ top scorers.

But Marsh, who missed the start of the season with a calf injury, was unable to field and is waiting on further assessment of his latest soft-tissue setback.

Nick Larkin hit an unbeaten 48 off 40 for the Stars, who have slumped to a 2-5 season record.

Kiwi quick Trent Boult (2-23) and English import Luke Wood (2-29) were the Stars’ best bowlers, while Zampa (1-18) also delivered a tight four overs.