No runner for cramps: ICC

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that cramp is a sign of fatigue and therefore cannot be considered injury or illness, as specified in law 2.1 (a).

The supreme body's ruling was invoked following the refusal of England captain Andrew Strauss to allow South African captain Graeme Smith a batting runner when he suffered cramp in the later stages of his epic knock of 141, which almost enabled his team to pull off a heroic win on Sunday.

"He asked me for a runner because he was cramping," Strauss said. "The umpires were not particularly keen to give him one. I felt that at the end of a long game, after a long innings, you are going to be tired.

"Cramping to a certain extent is a preparation thing. To a certain extent, it's a conditioning thing. I didn't think that he merited having a runner at that stage.

"I didn't think he was cramping that badly either. He was still able to run. That was my view. You just go with each situation as it comes," South Africa-born Strauss said.

"I think the umpires were very uncomfortable with it as well. My personal view is that you shouldn't get runners for cramps."

On the other hand, Smith, who did not last long after his request, falling in the 47th over, said: "I was cramping quite badly and I requested a runner. Andrew spoke with the umpires and turned it down. He felt that if you score a hundred, you're going to be tired. From my perspective, it felt a bit inconsistent," Smith said.

"Guys have got runners for cramps, so there needs to be a degree of consistency.

"From our perspective, it was a crucial period of the game. I was on the field for 95 overs and just felt it was inconsistent, that's all.

"I'm not going to sit here and say that he should have done this or that. The decision rests with the umpires as well. From my perspective, it's just about putting it behind me now," Smith said.

"The thing I've learned from this game is that the world's round. It's going to come back somewhere in the game, at some period of time in his captaincy. It'll be interesting to see how he handles it."

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In another incident which showed a contrast in the spirit rather than the letter of the rules of the game, Paul Collingwood was reprieved by New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori after being given out run out on the verdict of the third umpire (Aleem Dar of Pakistan) for having wandered out of his crease following the final ball of the 11th over.

According to Times Online: "It looked as though Collingwood forgot to mark his ground after the short ball from Shane Bond whizzed past his helmet. Brendon McCullum, the wicketkeeper, hit the stumps directly with his throw.

"Law 23.1 (a)(x) says that the ball is dead when the umpire calls 'over'. Replays showed that Daryl Harper had begun to walk away, but an ICC spokesman confirmed that the end of the over had not been called.

"Law 23.1(b) states that the ball is dead at the end of an over if 'it is clear to the umpire at the bowler's end that the fielding side and both batsmen at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.' In this case, McCullum clearly thought that the ball was still in play.

"Asad Rauf, at square leg had referred the matter to Aleen Dar, the third umpire. With no doubt about the batsman being out of his ground, the 'out' verdict was flashed on the big screen.

"At that point Harper had further discussions with Vettori, who withdrew the appeal and shook hands with Collingwood."

Shabash, Daniel Vettori, who is known among players the world over to be a gentleman if ever there was one.

His sporting gesture is all the more commendable since Collingwood, England's street-fighting hero of many a grim battle, could have, conceivably, taken the game away single-handedly from the sporting Kiwis.

You know as well as I do, dear reader, what England, the country that invented the infamous Bodyline, would have done in a similar
situation!