Team India's star all-rounder Deepti Sharma showed brilliant game-awareness to run Charlotte Dean out at the non-striker's end during the third and final ODI of the series at Lord's on Saturday. The dismissal meant India sealed a clean-sweep win in the three-match series; however, as usual with such a dismissal, it drew mixed reactions from the cricket fraternity. While some lauded Deepti for taking advantage of Dean leaving her crease before the delivery, a host of English cricketers criticised the tactic citing 'spirit of cricket'.
However, there was one English cricketer who took on his own teammate after the latter criticised Deepti Sharma, going to the extent of saying that it's “not just cricket.” Sam Billings, England's star batter, had written, “There’s surely not a person who has played the game that thinks this is acceptable? Just not cricket…”
To this, Alex Hales, who recently made a comeback to the England T20I setup during their ongoing series against Pakistan, remarked that it's not difficult for batters to stay at the crease until the bowler releases the ball. “It shouldn’t be difficult for the non striker to stay in their crease til the ball has left the hand…” wrote Hales.
{{/usCountry}}To this, Alex Hales, who recently made a comeback to the England T20I setup during their ongoing series against Pakistan, remarked that it's not difficult for batters to stay at the crease until the bowler releases the ball. “It shouldn’t be difficult for the non striker to stay in their crease til the ball has left the hand…” wrote Hales.
{{/usCountry}}Billings chipped in with a sarcastic remark towards Hales in his response. He wrote, “not like you to be different Alex.”
England's legendary fast bowler James Anderson also sided with Billings on his original tweet. He wrote, “Spot on. No intention of bowling the ball.”
Earlier, the dismissal came in the 44th over of the match when England still required 16 runs to win. The final-wicket duo of Dean and Freya Davis had already forged a threatening 35-run stand, but Deepti's game-awareness eventually prevailed in the end as she delivered the final blow to the hosts.
This game also marked the end of India fast bowler Jhulan Goswami's magnificent international career. She took two wickets in her final game, ending with figures of 2/30 in 10 overs.