England captain Heather Knight has denied India's claim that Charlie Dean was warned before her 'Mankad' run-out in their one-day game at the weekend.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
India bowler Deepti Sharma said on Tuesday (NZ time) Dean was "repeatedly" warned during her innings about leaving her crease early, prior to the run-out.
Knight said while the incident, which sealed a tense victory for India, was "legitimate" they "shouldn't feel the need to justify it by lying".
She added: "No warnings were given."
Knight missed the game with injury but was at Lord's for the match, which India won by 16 runs to clinch a 3-0 series victory.
"The game is over, Charlie was dismissed legitimately. India were deserved winners of the match and the series. But no warnings were given," she said.
"They don't need to be given, so it hasn't made the dismissal any less legitimate, but if they're comfortable with the decision to affect the run out, India shouldn't feel the need to justify it by lying about warnings."
Debate over the dismissal has overshadowed India's triumph at Lord's.
The 'Mankad' came when Deepti stopped in her delivery stride and ran out Dean, who had left her ground at the non-striker's end.
If a non-striking batter leaves their crease early they could gain an advantage when running to the striker's end to complete a run.
It is permitted in cricket's laws but some argue it is against the spirit of the game.
"It was a plan, because we had warned her repeatedly," Deepti told reporters.
"We did things as per the rules and guidelines. We told the umpires as well, but she was there [outside the crease]. We couldn't do much."
The laws state: "If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be run out."
Cricket's lawmakers, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), released a statement reiterating batters at the non-striker's end should "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".
England bowler Kate Cross said "wishy washy" laws should be tightened following the incident.
"What I think has come of it, which happens a lot in these scenarios when there's a big thing to talk about, is that the rules aren't quite written correctly to make it clear," Cross said on No Balls: The Cricket Podcast.
"I think what needs to happen is there needs to be more clear words on the rules because it's quite wishy washy, and it's all opinion of where the bowler might be bowling.
"There needs to be the warning moving forward and they need to clear up the rules on where the front foot lands, or where the bowler is bowling from. Just make it really clear."
- BBC