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          'Don't make the laws of cricket conflict with the spirit of cricket'

          Deepti Sharma runs out Charlie Dean backing up at the non-striker's end Getty Images
          • ESPNcricinfo staff
          Sep 25, 2022, 12:47 PM

          The third ODI between India and England at Lord's ended with a clean sweep for India, but the final wicket garnered mixed reactions. Deepti Sharma noticed Charlie Dean backing up too far at the non-striker's end in the 44th over with England needing 17 off 38 balls, and ran her out to claim the final wicket. While England players expressed disappointment at the dismissal, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur threw her support behind Deepti. The reactions on social media, too, were mixed.

          The MCC, the keeper of cricket's laws, welcomed the debate but reiterated that what happened was within the laws. "The Law is clear, as it needs to be for all umpires to be able to easily interpret throughout all levels of the game and at all moments in the game," the MCC said in a statement. "Cricket is a broad church and the spirit by which it is played is no different. As custodians of the Spirit of Cricket, MCC appreciates its application is interpreted differently across the globe.

          "Respectful debate is healthy and should continue, as where one person sees the bowler as breaching the Spirit in such examples, another will point at the non-striker gaining an unfair advantage by leaving their ground early.

          "MCC's message to non-strikers continues to be to remain in their ground until they have seen the ball leave the bowler's hand. Then dismissals, such as the one seen yesterday, cannot happen.

          "Whilst yesterday was indeed an unusual end to an exciting match, it was properly officiated and should not be considered as anything more."

          Here are other reactions to the incident from social media.

          There were a few England men's players who didn't seem to be too pleased with the mode of dismissal..