Kieron Pollard's short-run: Punishable or not?

Pollard knew he couldn't make it two complete and thus opted to cut his first run short.

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Kieron Pollard
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Kieron Pollard. (Photo Source: Twitter)

In an intense high-scoring match at the Wankhede stadium, it boiled down to the final over with Kieron Pollard on the batting crease and Mohit Sharma on the other end of the pitch with only 16 runs separating each other. As far as Pollard was in the strike, Mumbai Indians were always the firm favourites to victory. Mohit Sharma charged down and delivered an inch-perfect yorker, and all Pollard could do is knock the ball to the leg-side.

He saw a two in the shot and ran the first one hard, but the fielder outran the big man to the ball. Pollard on that sight turned and touched the bat way ahead of the popping crease in a desperate attempt to reach the striker’s end. The umpire rightly so awarded it a single run and Pollard got back to strike, with 15 runs required. He went on to smash a six on the very next ball before Mohit Sharma came back with a hat-trick of unplayable yorkers, which won the match for the Kings.

Chasing a mammoth total of 230, Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians knew they had to have the best of starts which would either match the one Kings XI Punjab had or the one which would outdo that. Parthiv Patel and Lendl Simmons were appointed for the job of the initial aggression that was required in the chase, and the duo did not disappoint.

They scored 99 runs in the first eight overs, leaving Mumbai with a really good chance of chasing a record total. The partnership was the one that resulted in Mumbai Indians getting as close to the total as possible. Punjab bowlers bowled tight lines after that and picked up four quick wickets, leaving the MI in a tight spot.

Enter Pollard and Hardik Pandya; the duo almost ensured that Mumbai Indians were over the line and would have made it if not for some tight bowling from the Sharmas’ of Kings XI Punjab. In the end, it was Mohit and Sandeep Sharma who did the job for Preity Zinta’s Kings.

Here is how the experts reacted to the short run on Twitter:

Here is what MCC Law 18 (Short runs) states:

3. Short runs

(a) A run is short if a batsman fails to make good his ground in turning for a further run.

(b) Although a short run shortens the succeeding one, the latter if completed shall not be regarded as short. A striker setting off for his first run from in front of his popping crease may do so also without penalty.

4. Unintentional short runs

Except in the circumstances of 5 below,

(a) if either batsman runs a short run, the umpire concerned shall, unless a boundary is scored, call and signal Short run as soon as the ball becomes dead and that run shall not be scored.

(b) if, after either or both batsmen run short, a boundary is scored the umpire concerned shall disregard the short running and shall not call or signal Short run.

(c) if both batsmen run short in one and the same run, this shall be regarded as only one short run.

(d) if more than one run is short then, subject to (b) and (c) above, all runs so called shall not be scored.

If there has been more than one short run, the umpire shall inform the scorers as to the number of runs to be recorded.

5. Deliberate short runs

(a) Notwithstanding 4 above, if either umpire considers that either or both batsmen deliberately run short at his end, the umpire concerned shall, when the ball is dead, inform the other umpire of what has occurred. The bowler’s end umpire shall then

(i) warn both batsmen that the practice is unfair and indicate that this is a first and final warning. This warning shall apply throughout the innings. The umpire shall so inform each incoming batsman.

(ii) whether a batsman is dismissed or not, disallow all runs to the batting side from that delivery other than any runs awarded for penalties.

(iii) return the batsmen to their original ends.

(iv) inform the captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of the reason for this action.

(v) inform the scorers as to the number of runs to be recorded.

(b) If there is any further instance of deliberate short running by any batsman in that innings, the umpire concerned shall, when the ball is dead, inform the other umpire of what has occurred and the procedure set out in (a) (ii), (iii) and (iv) above shall be repeated. Additionally the bowler’s end umpire shall,

(i) award 5 penalty runs to the fielding side

(ii) inform the scorers as to the number of runs to be recorded

(iii) together with the other umpire report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the batting side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain and the player or players concerned.

 

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