There was a wonderful display of sportsmanship by the Indians at the 'Gabba here on Tuesday.
It all started in the 40th over of the Sri Lankan innings when Ravichandran Ashwin, watching Lahiru Thirimanne backing up too far, pulled up before release and removed the bails — the Sri Lankan was ‘Mankaded'.
Umpire Paul Reiffel walked up to leg-umpire Billy Bowden to discuss the Indian appeal. Replays showed Thirimanne (on 44 then) was nearly four feet out of the crease.
Even as the two umpires were in discussion, skipper Virender Sehwag walked up to them, and they were joined soon by Sachin Tendulkar. The Indian seniors' intervention, laudably, seemed to end in the withdrawal of the appeal, and Thirimanne batted on.
