And Dhoni walks away

Richard Dwight

In the now concluded one-dayer, India wasn't well placed at 221 for 6 after 43 overs.

Skipper Dhoni, was at the crease along with Zaheer Khan and must surely have realised the importance of his batting out the 7 overs - so as to ensure that his side made a competitive score.

And it was at such a stage as this, that a delivery from Maharoof moving towards leg was gathered by Sangakkara.

Only both of them, along with Dhoni, must have been aware that the ball had faintly nicked the bat. The resulting appeal found the umpire being tentative to be hesitant, suggesting an element of doubt.

Dhoni despite the position the side was in, did well to appease his conscience, by helping the umpire by walking away before being given out. It does make the umpires task that much easier, when batsmen walk away, when convinced they are out.

With all the beneficial aspects associated with cricket these days - such sporting features are at times spoken of as silly, old fashioned to be out of date.

Nevertheless, it still does much to rekinde spirits to warm the heart, giving the performer and the beholder, a sense of well being. Despite the contemporary times in which the game is played, some of us still feet, that cricket derives its glory from many a sporting deed such as this, for such deeds far more eloquent than words given the game a special kind of lustre and lifts it above the ordinary and, what is more in a sense has life to influence others to greater heights.

The commendable noble gesture of Dhoni had a salutary effect, in that it was crowned with success, when India won.