10 occasions when famous cricketers refused to walk

To walk or not to walk has been cricket’s most polarizing question for decades. And while ethics and gentlemanly deeds may earn you plaudits and reverence, they will certainly not aid the results of the match in your favour.Adam Gilchrist, who has walked towards the pavilion in spite of being adjudged not out on several occasions – the most famous of them being at the 2003 World Cup semifinals – recalls feeling isolated and being ‘silently accused of betraying the team’.Walking is strictly an individual’s opinion, and no one should be chastised for standing his ground after being pronounced not out. The spirit of the game, in the view of the author, is a flimsy moral stunt and a batsman is absolutely within his rights to refuse to walk; cricket as a game is governed by laws, and not moral beliefs.Nevertheless, let us have a look at 10 cricketers who happened to spur controversies by refusing to walk. Almost in coherence to their never-say-die attitude, the list comprises of an overwhelming number of Australians.

#10 Don Bradman

Don’s unexpectedly

Certainly an unexpected name in this list, but records say Sir Don Bradman did refuse to walk once during the Ashes 1946-47. Quite understandably however, there is no video evidence of the occasion.

Playing for the first time in Tests after eight and a half years, it’s conceivable that the legendary Australian did not want to leave the crease minutes after coming in to bat. The sequence of events that ensued is typical of that nature.

Having survived unconvincingly for enough time to accumulate 28 runs, Bradman edged a Bill Voce delivery to second slip where Jack Ikin held on to a smart catch at chest height. As the Englishmen led by Wally Hammond rejoiced without even appealing, they noticed that Bradman hadn’t moved an inch.

A belated appeal followed, with the umpires stating their doubts and ruling in favour of the batsman. “A fine bloody way to start a series,” commented an incensed Hammond.

In his autobiography, the Australian legend scripted his own version of the story: “In my opinion the ball touched the bottom of my bat just before hitting the ground and therefore, it was not a catch. Accordingly I stood my ground waiting for the game to proceed.”

He ultimately carried on, scoring a magnificent 187 and propelling his team to 645. England were soon dismissed for 141 and 172 which handed Australia a thumping victory by an innings and 332 runs.

#9 Jack Hobbs

The one with no flaws

Former England captain George ‘Gubby’ Allen is known for unsettling Don Bradman with his pace and dismissing him in the infamous Bodyline series. However, few know that he was once denied the wicket of Jack Hobbs when the latter refused to walk after the umpires had declared him not out.

This may sound quite surprising since Hobbs is often celebrated as one of the truest gentlemen of the game, but reputations can sometimes be misleading.

After edging it to the wicket-keeper, Hobbs denied touching the ball when accosted by the bowler and consequently refused to walk. A few weeks later, as they discussed the incident, he admitted his lie to Allen and explained that it would have been unfair on the umpire.

He clarified further saying, “If I had [walked] then he would almost certainly have given me out at the next possible opportunity.”

#8 WG Grace

Grace also on the list

WG Grace’s reluctance to walk is the stuff of legend. Despite being an amateur in cricket – his real profession was medicine – he was light years ahead of his contemporaries when it came to gamesmanship.

Grace has been labeled as an enormous conman who would simply refuse to believe that the game was not just about him. Although there lingers a possibility that stories regarding him are purely apocryphal, it cannot be denied that he was quite a character.

Legend has it that in 1898, Essex fast bowler Charles Kortright dismissed him thrice in what is now known as the ‘three-ball sequence’. The bearded Victorian got away despite being leg before on the first ball before edging behind on the second ball but refusing to walk.

On the third, Kortright opened him up and knocked down two stumps. As Grace hesitated leaving the crease, the bowler spat, “Surely you aren’t going, Doc? There’s one stump still standing.”

Defying umpires wasn’t a tough job either. “Play on,” Grace would say when he was clean bowled, “they've come here to see me bat, not you umpire.”

#7 Michael Atherton

Atherton was a regular

Michael Atherton was never really known for his honesty and gentleman-like approach to the game. In fact, he has never been recorded to have walked before the umpire had raised his finger.

In a particularly famous incident against South Africa, the Englishman was seen to have gloved the ball to the wicket-keeper after Allan Donald had rushed in from around the wicket with a target of 247 on the board.

While the umpire stood stone-faced in reply to Donald’s screams, Atherton looked down, shifted his weight and appeared nonchalant. The South Africans meanwhile stood aghast, hands on their heads, looking at each other.

This reprieve cost the Proteas a much-deserved victory as Atherton went on to bat out the entire day, thereby saving the match for his team.

#6 Michael Vaughan

When Vaughan did it himself

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan was among the very first supporters that Stuart Broad earned after deciding to stand his ground in the controversial 2013 Ashes Test. And why not? Vaughan himself had been the protagonist of a similar instance during the 2002-03 Ashes when he refused to walk, while later admitting that he had been out.

England were 37/0 in the first innings of the second Test when a length ball from Andy Bichel was sliced by Vaughan towards point. Justin Langer moved a couple of steps and dived beautifully to his right, completing a splendid catch millimetres above the ground.

As the batsman refused to walk, the on-field umpire – interestingly, Steve Bucknor – referred it to the third umpire who spent a lot of time on the replays before ruling it in Vaughan’s favour.

Then on 19, the Englishman went on to score 177, helped by a batsman-friendly Adelaide track. Asked about the incident later, Vaughan brushed it away as part and parcel of the game. “It's a tough game”, he said, “There are times as a batsman when you are given out and you aren't.”

#5 Andrew Symonds

Symonds case

As in to emphasize the extent of poor sportsmanship and horrible decisions, the 2008 Sydney Test between Australia and India witnessed another refusal-to-walk scenario with Andrew Symonds being the protagonist.

With Australia at 183/6 and Symonds on 29, the maverick all-rounder was surprised by an Ishant Sharma delivery that bounced a bit more than he had expected. The sizable nick landed in MS Dhoni’s gloves as the Indians went up in celebration.

Steve Bucknor, however, looked disinterested, as did Symonds who stood with one hand on his waist, surrounded by the Indians with disbelief written on their faces. Ishant, in particular, went on to showcase an animated display of incredulity even as the commentators shared his shock.

To make matters worse, Symonds, having scored 162 in that innings, later admitted, in a very matter-of-fact fashion, that he had edged it.

#4 Justin Langer

Langer’s innocent face

Chaminda Vaas may well consider himself unlucky being robbed of the wicket of Justin Langer in a Test match in 2004. His delivery couldn’t have been more perfect.

After pitching on the fifth stump the ball swung away, leaving the Australian in a dilemma. With his team yet to open their account, Langer committed half-heartedly to a drive before pulling out midway.

However, the ball did make contact and having come off the face of the bat, it flew to Mahela Jayawardene who completed a low catch cleanly at first slip. Glovesman Kumar Sangakkara went up in celebration although Tillekeratne Dilshan at second slip appeared doubtful.

Langer, for his part, looked back surprised at what the fuss was all about. A consequentially weak appeal by the Sri Lankans failed to convince the umpires, who decided to rule in favour of the batsman.

It wasn’t the first time the left-hander had gotten away after standing his ground. In the Hobart Test of 1999, Langer nicked a Wasim Akram delivery straight to the wicket-keeper causing the Pakistanis to go up in a loud appeal. But the Aussie stared at the umpire with an innocent face as the latter refused to give him out despite the replays suggesting a definite noise as the ball crossed the toe-end of the bat.

#3 Michael Clarke (Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2013)

Clarke again

As if being true to its tradition, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2013 threw up a major controversy during the very first Test at Chennai. Australian skipper Michael Clarke has the dubious distinction of being in the cynosure this time around as well.

Australia were struggling at 206/5 on the 65th over with debutant Moises Henriques partnering Clarke at the crease. The second delivery of Ravichandran Ashwin’s over witnessed the Australian getting an inside edge onto the pads, which then bobbed up to Cheteshwar Pujara at short leg.

While the Indians appealed in unison, with even Sachin Tendulkar running in from the deep, umpire Kumar Dharmasena remained impassive, probably thinking that the bat had hit the pad.

Clarke, then on 39, went on score a handsome 130 and steered his team to 380, courtesy a sixth-wicket partnership of 151 runs with Henriques. Karma, however, came back to bite the Australians who suffered a humiliating 8-wicket loss thanks to MS Dhoni’s first-innings 224.

#2 Michael Clarke (Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2007-08)

The second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2007-08 had been a harrowing experience for umpire Steve Bucknor. Infamous for the abundant umpiring blunders, the match also saw a couple of incidents that marred the spirit of the game and led to ample critique on the subject of sportsmanship.

After seizing the first session of day four by wiping off the first innings deficit, Australia were comfortably placed at 250/2 when Matthew Hayden attempted a reckless reverse sweep off Anil Kumble and was caught at point.

In came Michael Clarke, adjusting his pads and glancing briefly towards leg before taking strike. Kumble sent down a googly at which the batsman, in an effort to cut it, got a thick edge that flew towards Rahul Dravid at first slip.

Clarke immediately looked back to see Dravid completing the catch. Then he dragged himself towards the crease, refusing to budge until Bucknor confirmed his dismissal. No wonder the Indian skipper was visibly annoyed at his victim’s behaviour.

In fact, Kumble was so upset and disconcerted that he summarized his displeasure in an on-ground interview after the match by stating, “Only one team is playing in the spirit of the game.”

#1 Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad, second left, stays at the crease

As the most recent high-profile example of a batsman refusing to walk after getting dismissed, Stuart Broad’s stunt against Australia on the third day of the first Ashes Test in 2013 at Trent Bridge polarized opinions on various platforms. While a few complained about his reluctance to uphold the ethics of the gentleman’s game, many others stood by him, arguing he was well within the law to stand his ground.

After five dot balls in the 118th over of England’s second innings, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar sent down a 52 mph delivery wide outside off that spun in towards the batsman, took a massive edge off the willow, clipped Brad Haddin’s gloves and landed into the safe hands of Michael Clarke at slip.

Umpire Aleem Dar, however, remained unmoved, leaving the Australians absolutely shell-shocked. The camera found coach Darren Lehmann shaking his head in astonishment.

Broad’s reaction was classic. Being completely aware that Australia had no reviews remaining, he shifted his weight and casually walked towards the non-striker, believing it to be the end of just another uneventful over.

He survived for another 70 balls before edging behind a James Pattinson delivery. England eventually won the match by only 14 runs – 24 less than what Broad had scored after his reprieve.