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Indian elite umpire Nitin Menon earned praises by fans all across the social media for his gutsy Steve Smith run out call on Day 2 of Ashes final Test. In the 78th over of Australia’s innings, Menon granted Smith a lifeline, sparking a huge debate amongst fans and the commentary box over the ‘not out’ decision taken by Menon.
While the fans and experts divided in half over the decision, MCC issued a clarification over the same. On Day 2 of the fifth Ashes Test, a run out appeal by the Three Lions called for a replay, which suggested that the ex-Aussie captain fell short of the crease. It looked like an easy decision, which led to celebrations in the England camp, as Smith started to walk.
Watch the video here:
However, Menon asked the TV director to show the run out in slow motion, along with a frame-by-frame video of the moment Smith made it to the crease. The slow footage of the moment helped Menon observe that while the bails were taken off, a part of Smith’s bat entered the crease. It also appeared that the English wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow didn’t take the bails off in the first attempt, and it took him another one to take the bails off completely.
After the controversial not out, social media went all praises for the Indian umpire. Not only this, but moments later, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) also issued a clarification over the same. The statement read, “We have received a few questions regarding the decision in the below video. Law 29.1 states: "The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground."
It further read, Tom Smith's Cricket Umpiring and Scoring, MCC's Official Interpretation of the Laws of Cricket, adds: "For the purposes of dismissal – a bail has been removed at the moment that both ends of it leave their grooves.”
Meanwhile, fans heaped praise on Menon; here are some of the best reactions:
Notably, Smith was batting at 48 at that time, and he eventually went on to complete his half century.
