09 October,2010 08:06 AM IST | | Rajneesh Gupta
Ricky Ponting has made a statement that he won't allow VVS Laxman a runner in Bangalore Test. Interestingly Law 2.1 (a) and (b)u00a0-- which deal with Substitutes and Runnersu00a0-- clearly mentions that it is the umpires who have the right to allow or disallow a runner. However, there have been instances when the fielding captain objected to a set batsman getting a runner and got the umpires to dance to their tune. We take a look at some high-profile cases:
South Africa v England ODI, ICC Champions Trophy, 2009
England posted a mammoth total of 323 in their allotted 50 overs, but South Africa made a match of it with Graeme Smith played a gem of an innings. Smith had earlier spent a session in the field. In the 44th over of the innings, Smith developed cramps and signalled for a runner to come out. AB de Villiers arrived, but was turned back by the England skipper following words involving both captains and the umpires.
New Zealand v Pakistan Lahore Test, 2002
Inzamam-ul-Haq made an epic 329 in this Test. During the later part of his innings, Inzamam was toying with the bowlers and then after passing 250, asked for a runner. However this request was refused by Stephen Fleming whose men were on the verge of collapse already having chased leather the whole day. As it happened then, Inzamam limped and swung his way for more boundaries!
Sri Lanka v Australia ODI, Sydney, 1996
During a bitter Australian summer of 1995-96, Arjuna Ranatunga, the portly Sri Lanka skipper complained that he had "sprained something'' and needed a runner in a Sydney ODI. It all became too much for wicketkeeper Ian Healy, who snapped: "You don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat c''' ", a comment picked up by the stump microphones. After the match, Ranatunga instructed his players not to shake the Australian players' hands.
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This one was allowed Pakistan v India ODI, Chennai, 1997
Saeed Anwar made a then world record 194, but was out of steam in the energy-sapping heat of Chennai. He asked India skipper Sachin Tendulkar to allow him a runner and Tendulkar gave in. Shahid Afridi came in as his runner at the start of 20th over. Afridi remained there till the end when Anwar was finally out in 47th over. During this period, Anwar scored 127 of his 194 runs in the presence of Shahid Afridi and got a world record without much fuss!
