Graeme Smith- You Champion

[The Outsider]

but hardly have I seen any opposition refusing runner to a cramped player who has played more than 30-40 overs.. that is just called bad sportsmanship.. I have hardly ever seen any team refusing it till now

I've seen it on a few occasions. Allowing a runner for cramps is a good gesture but disallowing one cannot be called poor sportsmanship.

[Guest Hiten.]

Inzy's 14 runs in winning cause are more valuable than Graeme's 140.

Where is this coming from ?

[Texy]

it was OBVIOUS that Strauss was scared to allow a runner to Smith.... he wanted to make sure he gets a win here anyway possible

[Jersey #10]

Gotta love the guy. Strauss denied him a runner. He was suffering cramps big time

did strauss REFUSE him it? that is chootiyapana What happened to all the sportsmanship now straussy when theres a chance of losing eh? Smith did all he could. 6 of his 8 ODI centuries have come in chases, average goes up from 41 to 47...

yes Strauss refused him a runner.. that was really pathetic sportsmanship Smith played gem of an innings

I think it was a fair call by Strauss.

why.. how is it sportsmanship :hmmm:

Hmm, i guess all is fair in love and cricket...defo wasnt sportsmanship Was it because he was cramped ? Some rule saying you can refuse a runner if the batter is cramped... so if it was any other injury Strauss couldnt refuse a runner

refusing runner to a man who has batted thru the whole inning with visible cramps is NOT sportsmanship at all

A runner is allowed for injuries sustained during a match - cramping does not count as an injury and in that case it's up to the fielding captain to allow or not.

but hardly have I seen any opposition refusing runner to a cramped player who has played more than 30-40 overs.. that is just called bad sportsmanship.. I have hardly ever seen any team refusing it till now

:dito:

I don't even understand how that's bad sportsmanship? If Smith was tired and cramping, It's not Strauss' fault. Runners are usually offered to injuries during a match as already defined by Outsider. It's Smith's issue that he ran out of energy to continue playing for 3 hours. I don't even see why Strauss is in the fault here. There are many times when the opposition refuses to provide a runner. It was not a friendly gesture to the opposition but it's part and partial of the game at the end.

[Jersey #10]

One of the best innings I have seen in so many years. very well composed. Many said that he is still not like Sachin. I would say he is right there at the level of Sachin if not better. Scoring 140 odd while chasing 320 is definitely a legend's work and can not be denied. I was sad to see him not get the MOM in this case. I think he had done enough to win the MOM from the losing side which happens in rare cases only. Sachin has won MOM from losing side many times and Smith today deserved it.:hatsoff::hatsoff::hatsoff::hatsoff::hatsoff: Today, he reminded me of Sachin from the 90s where Sachin would take India so close to winning but no one else supported him for the final blow and Cricket matches can not be won single one player alone in most cases. He just made yet another fan today! SMITH, You are a ROCKSTAR:two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up:

[Nova]

Definitely an innings of a fighter. :hatsoff:

[donkey]

One of the best innings I have seen in so many years. very well composed. Many said that he is still not like Sachin. I would say he is right there at the level of Sachin if not better. Scoring 140 odd while chasing 320 is definitely a legend's work and can not be denied. I was sad to see him not get the MOM in this case. I think he had done enough to win the MOM from the losing side which happens in rare cases only. Sachin has won MOM from losing side many times and Smith today deserved it.:hatsoff::hatsoff::hatsoff::hatsoff::hatsoff: Today, he reminded me of Sachin from the 90s where Sachin would take India so close to winning but no one else supported him for the final blow and Cricket matches can not be won single one player alone in most cases. He just made yet another fan today! SMITH, You are a ROCKSTAR:two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up:

Please no comparisons with Sachin of the 90s. :rtfm:

[donkey]

Where is this coming from ?

It sounds as you got the drift already.:winky:

[Sooda]

But the victory in Centurion was not achieved without controversy as Strauss refused Smith the assistance of a runner when the big left-hander began to suffer from cramp towards the end of his innings. "He asked me for a runner because he was cramping, the umpires were not particularly keen to give him one, and I felt at the end of a long game when you have had a long innings you are going to be tired," said Strauss. "That is one of the things that happens and cramping to a certain extent is a preparation thing and to a certain extent a conditioning thing. "I didn't feel he merited having a runner at that stage. My personal view is you shouldn't get a runner for cramps full stop." But Smith was far from happy with Strauss. "From my perspective it seemed a little bit inconsistent," said Smith. "Players have got runners for cramp in the past and there needs to be a level of consistency there. "The thing I have learned from this game is that the world is round and it is going to come back somewhere in his captaincy. "It will be interesting to see how he handles it if it happens again. It was a crucial part of the game, I had been on the field for 95 overs and had cramped up."

[Jersey #10]

Please no comparisons with Sachin of the 90s. :rtfm:

I am guilty sir! :nervous:

[suraj]

I forget- did Sachin get a runner against NZ when he was closing on his double century and retired? I don't remember whether he asked for one and whetherMccullum allowed it or not

[Zap_Brannigan]

:dito:

1 smiley reply but a 15 line signature

[coffee_rules]

Tendulkar in the Compaq final had cramps, he got a runner. It's very sportive of captains to allow that. Even Saaed Anwar got a runner for cramps during 194 in Chennai. So, what was the big f ack ing deal that Strauss was worried about. That Smith would get close to the target. This is very very unsportive of English. It will come back and bite them someother day. Silly one.

[Mr. Wicket]

Anwar got a runner because Tendulkar didn't have the cojones to say no. It has been a frustrating sight in past India/Pak games to see Anwar or Mohammad Yousuf regularly get runners to compensate for their lack of stamina and fitness.

[Rajiv]

This would beat Smiths Innings http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/238200.html

[Nova]

This would beat Smiths Innings http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/238200.html

:omg:

[Guest Hiten.]

Anwar got a runner because Tendulkar didn't have the cojones to say no. It has been a frustrating sight in past India/Pak games to see Anwar or Mohammad Yousuf regularly get runners to compensate for their lack of stamina and fitness.

Nicely said. IIRC, Afridi acted as a runner as early as the 19th over:omg:. It is atrocious considering Pakistan was batting first.

[champ]

yes refusing a runner was bad sportmanship . but it was well within rules to deny a runner for just cramps.. either he needs to continue or leave the field .. so cant argue much about this.. but wat a innings by smith take a :bow:

[Mr. Wicket]

How is it bad sportsmanship? A runner is given to a player who sustains an injury during the game. Cramp is not an injury, despite what some spineless captains of the past have shown by offering every unfit ***** like Anwar and Runnertunga a guy to run for them. At the end of it a player can't take a runner just because he starts to get tired and feel cramped up - that's typical for ANY sportsman who has that level of physical toll. Dravid during a long test innings goes through periods of cramp, visibly struggles but never asks for a runner. Tendulkar, Ponting, Strauss, etc, all play long innings and spend time in the field, suffer a bit of pain - but that is par for the course as a professional cricketer.

[DomainK]

I think this entire concept of runner should be done away. It's a flawed concept to begin with. Batting is about playing shots and the running between the wickets. If someone is injured or tired to do both, he should just retire hurt. It's unfair to let someone else do the running while the player plays the shots. Quite a few players like Anwar and Ranatunga took disadvantage of this system so many times.