BBL: Why Adam Zampa's run-out attempt at non-striker's end was given not out?

Melbourne Stars captain Adam Zampa on Tuesday, January 3, attempted a run-out at the bowler's end during the Melbourne Derby at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 2022-23.

The incident took place in the final over of the Renegades innings when Tom Rogers and Mackenzie Harvery were facing the last few balls of the over bowled by Zampa.

Rogers had just arrived at the crease after Zampa got Akeal Hosein caught by Nathan Coulter-Nile who was positioned at short third on the second ball of the over. Rogers picked up a single to put Harvey, the set batter, back on strike.

While Zampa was about to launch the penultimate ball of the innings, he glanced at Rogers, who was way ahead of the crease, and the leg-spinner held back his delivery to whip off the bails.

The Stars skipper was confident in his appeal and returned to his bowling position, while Rogers was about to walk back with astonishment on his face.

The on-field umpires moved the appeal upstairs to the third umpire. To everyone's surprise, particularly Zampa, the possibility of a run-out was ruled out with Rogers being declared 'not out'.

The third umpire's reasoning for calling the run-out appeal at the non-striker's end was that Zampa had already completed his action before effecting the dismissal. As a result, Rogers survived only to watch the last two balls from the bowler's end.

Harvey managed to score just two runs in the final two deliveries as he remained unbeaten on 32 off 23 deliveries. The Melbourne Renegades posted 141/7 on the board as Martin Guptill and Shaun Marsh were the joint-highest scorers in the innings at 32 along with Harvey.

The never-ending 'Mankad' debate

The Marylebone Cricket Club, the custodian of the laws of cricket, updated the law pertaining to the non-striker's run-out in March last year. It was put into effect from October 2022 onwards.

According to MCC Law 41.16.1:

“If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be run out. In these circumstances, the non-striker will be out run out if he/she is out of his/her ground when his/her wicket is put down by the bowler throwing the ball at the stumps or by the bowler’s hand holding the ball, whether or not the ball is subsequently delivered.”

The mode of dismissal has often been termed as 'Mankad' after former India all-rounder Vinoo Mankad was the first person to run-out Australia's Bill Brown in a similar fashion in 1947.

The decision has always been polarized with people on either side of the debate. Indian cricketers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Deepti Sharma were heavily criticized for attempting a non-striker's run-out against England players.