Mankad could well be the villain of a James Bond script. The man in question wasn't. He was an Indian bowler who became entrenched in cricket history for performing a perfectly legal deed in a Test match 65 years ago.
Vinoo Mankad's act - running out Australian batsman Bill Brown after he backed up too far at the non-striker's end during a 1947 Test - created one of the biggest taboo subjects in the game. Only the spectre of match-fixing is treated by cricket followers with more disdain.
Another Indian, Ravi Ashwin, discovered just how much of a touchy subject the Mankad is when he tried to replicate the deed by running out Lahiru Thirimanne in the one-day clash at the Gabba last Tuesday.
But why is the Mankad so despised? After all, if it is within the laws of cricket to dismiss a batsman for being out of his crease what is the problem? And clause 42.15 states, the "bowler is permitted, before entering his delivery stride, to attempt to run out the non-striker".
There is no mention of warnings. No suggestion a player would be scorned if he/she did so.
However, the Mankad strikes at the sense of decency in cricket, the so-called "spirit of the game" officials like to talk about to make fans feel all warm and fuzzy and believe the contest is above board.
