In cricket or in any other walk of life, there has to be room for common sense. We may look at something and come to a conclusion. But is that always right?
Cricket faced this question during the World Cup match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in smoggy Delhi. The reply was smoggier. Cricket lost.
Angelo Mathews was timed out in the first-ever instance of this mode of dismissal in the 146-year history of international cricket. It was the most bizarre incidents that this game has witnessed. One of the most, if we must be politically correct.
It reminds one of something written decades ago. “Administer justice, not law.” It was said in a different context, of course, but it became so pertinent today.
There is a line between justice and law. Not a thin one always. It can be thick. You can go by the letter of the law, and not the spirit of it. We are not talking about sporting spirit, mind you.
Mathews was not out. Not by any weird state of imagination. Period.
This was a clear-cut instance of everyone overlooking everything.
Nasser Hussain on TV commentary said that there are better ways of getting a batter out. Pause, it made sense.
Rameez Raja asked whether there would be a law to rule to time bowlers out.
Charith Asalanka, centurion and hero of the remainder of that traumatised Sri Lankan innings, said it was not in the spirit of the game.
We can get into jargon and technicalities and that something called the ‘letter of the law’. Does it warrant justice? Decide for yourself!
This was sinister.
Let us not hold the umpires guilty of this mishap. They went by the compulsions mentioned in their contracts. Rule 10.B clause 3.C, with allowance for 4.D, allowed it (exaggerated). It did. What did it do at the end of the day?
It saw a total collapse of common sense. Whether this is irretrievable, time will tell. It was a serious threat, mind you.
Mathews might or might not have intended something. Plot to delay the over-rate? We can’t say. But it was not murder. That nature of his dismissal was. It killed the conscience of cricket.
And this can set a horrifying precedent. Tomorrow, someone will come up with an appeal because the batter forgot his zip fastener and is intentionally holding things up. If one goes by the letter of the law, there would be merit in that claim.
The question is, would you entertain that appeal? Well, after today, you might have to. Cricus, the God of cricket, would not approve of this. Today, the game died an unnecessary death.