STUART BROAD: Anyone comparing Jos Buttler 'run-out' to not walking is very naive



Anyone comparing the 'Mankad' run-out of Jos Buttler at Edgbaston with not walking is very naive, says Stuart Broad



There's no logic to that dismissal and it's bad for the fans because they get no entertainment from being run out like that, he explains



Broad says it is great to have three debutants but thinks they have to get to know one another - and fast



His knee is doing fine, and England are leaving the Ashes firmly in the past



Mail on Sunday columnist Stuart Broad returns to give us his views from a week of cricket. He discusses the 'run-out' of Jos Buttler at Edgbaston and comparing it to not walking, why there is no logic behind it, how exciting it is to have three debutants, his own fitness, and how their Ashes humiliation is being put behind them.

I think anyone trying to compare the ‘Mankad’ run-out of Jos Buttler at Edgbaston this week with not walking is very naive.



Some people have tried, no doubt with what happened with myself in the Ashes at Trent Bridge last summer in mind. But there’s no comparison.



I’ve never played a game at any level, including schools cricket, where I’ve seen a batsman run out

at the non-striker’s end.



That’s why I think it is completely wrong and anyone who compares it to not walking is being naive.



Don't compare the run-out of Jos Buttler (left) at the ODI match between England and Sri Lanka to not walking.

Sachithra Senanayake (right) appeals for the wicket of Buttler during the fifth ODI between England and Sri Lanka Buttler leaves the field after controversially being run out at the ODI match in Birmingham

Why?



Because I’ve only ever played with one consistent walker and that was Graeme Swann. Not walking is the norm — you wait for the umpire’s decision. That’s fair.



There’s a vast difference with ‘Mankading’. It’s not the norm. I was actually surprised Angelo Matthews, as Sri Lanka’s captain, upheld the appeal.



But I think the major problem is it shouldn’t even be in the players’ hands. This goes above pointing at players or captains.



Leave it up to the umpires. It shouldn’t be an option to have a dismissal like that because at the end of the day if you’re a supporter you’ve not seen a ball bowled, you’ve not seen a shot played but you’ve lost a world-class batsman.



I can’t see any logic behind that being a mode of dismissal.



It seems a really strange rule that someone can be run out like that because you’re getting no entertainment from it as a fan.

I wasn’t in the one-day squad so I actually watched the incident in the Notts changing room during our

game at Hove and everyone was pretty surprised.

The one consistent walker I ever played with was Graeme Swann. Not walking is the norm. You wait.

As I said earlier, I think it should be in the umpires’ hands. Sri Lanka said Jos was stealing runs at Lord’s and he had a warning at Edgbaston, so the decision shouldn’t be up to the player to take the stumps, that should be the umpire saying: ‘Look, we’ve gone upstairs, you’re stealing a few too

many yards, if you do it again we’ll take five off your score or we’ll take 10 off your score.’ That would stop people doing it.



We are all excited about starting the Test series this week. Regardless of what happened at Edgbaston, we won’t need any extra motivation as we’re kicking off a new era in the first Test of the summer at Lord’s.



We’re going to have three debutants who will be buzzing and Lord’s Tests always bring out a huge amount of excitement.



So I can’t imagine it will add any extra spice because I expect there to be plenty of spice anyway. You’ve got the honour and pride of playing for your country at Lord’s.



We have a lot to prove after what happened over the winter. And with the new players coming into a much-changed side, we know we have to gel quickly.



Fans might not know some of the new guys and I’ve only met Sam Robson for about 30 seconds in my life, so it will be very important we get to know our team-mates as well and as quickly as possible.



Moeen Ali and Chris Jordan have shown they have got what it takes in international white-ball cricket and Sam’s county pedigree proves he is a fantastic cricketer, too.



They just have to believe what they have done to get selected in the first place means they belong at this level.