Sydney Sixers all-rounder Daniel Christian has become the latest Australian cricketer to join the “Mankad” craze, threatening to attempt the controversial dismissal during Sunday evening’s Big Bash League match at the SCG.
In the penultimate over of the Perth Scorchers run chase, with 17 runs required from the final eight balls, Christian stopped during his delivery stride and spun around towards non-striker Stephen Eskinazi, who was unbeaten on 62 at the time.
“That’s your warning mate, that’s your warning,” Christian yelled at the England international.
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MATCH CENTRE: Sydney Sixers vs Perth Scorchers, stats, players, line ups and more
Eskinazi had narrowly made it back for two runs at the non-strikers’ end on three successive deliveries before Christian’s threat.
Former Test batter Mark Waugh questioned whether Eskinazi was guilty of leaving his crease early.
“Was he taking off early?” Waugh asked on Fox Cricket.
“I don’t reckon he was out of his crease, was he?”
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Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin continued: “He didn’t move, did he?”
Christian, who earlier dismissed Scorchers spinner Ashton Agar for 3, followed up by bowling Andrew Tye with a perfectly-executed slower ball, ultimately conceding just seven runs from the 19th over.
The Sixers secured a six-run victory over the reigning champions, who suffered their third loss of the summer.
It’s the second time this BBL campaign that the “Mankad” debate has been sparked, with Stars captain Adam Zampa trying to run out Renegades bowler Tom Rogers in the Melbourne derby.
The move backfired as Zampa failed to execute the action correctly, and Rogers responded by taking career-best figures of 5-16 in his side’s 33-run victory over the Stars.
Earlier this summer, Australian Test captain Pat Cummins gave his teammates permission to run out the non-striker after giving them a warning, which Mitchell Starc threatened to do during the Boxing Day Test against South Africa.
