I’ve been spotting batters wandering outside their crease before the ball has been delivered since South Africa played India at Kingsmead in 1992.

The ICC recently announced a change to the rules, and this included Mankad, moving it from the unfair play section to the run-out section. Despite this change – and despite the furor over Sharma Mankadding Dean – to win the third and final ODI – batters keep on backing up too far.

You see it in any match on TV, yet surprisingly, few commentators pick it up. About a decade ago, soccer changed the law where a penalty would be given if a cross into the penalty box struck a defending player’s arm, even if it was hanging innocently by his or her side.

The result? Defenders have learned how to hold their hands behind their back when defending a cross. It’s become second nature – problem solved.

Now, to stop batters backing up too far at the non-strikers end, bowlers need to start Mankadding opposition betters – start doing it in every match! It will create a bit of controversy for a week or two and then betters will just start backing up right. Problem solved.

The irony is that almost never are the batters backing up too far by trying to seal a single… they are usually just being lazy or absent-minded and wondering innocently out of their crease. Cricket is a game of runs and small margins making a BIG difference. Most times when someone has been run out, it is pretty close.

The truth is that 95% of batters have never learned how to backup properly, including the professionals!

However, if you back-up properly, it also gives you a much better chance to not be run out going for that quick single or an extra run. You’ll also definitely never be out Mankad… and with T20 becoming such a very big part of cricket, it’s strange that the major part of scoring runs – which is backing up and running between the wickets – has been ignored for so long.

When I was in standard six, aka grade eight, I read some great advice in one of Geoffrey Boycott’s coaching manuals that solves the problem. I’m going to share the tip with you now, along with some of my own tiny modifications, and I’ve asked some of the players from Westerford High School in Cape Town, where my son is at school, to help show the pros how to backup properly and run between the wickets like a real pro.

And you never know… this tip could make the difference between being run out for a duck or making your ground and being able to continue your innings, or even being run out for 99 or making it through to complete your century. And it could even make the difference between losing the World Cup final… or winning it!

The problem of backing up comes when the non-striker walks in with a bowler and slides the bat on the turf.

The best way to prevent Mankad – and to back-up in a way that you’re ready to race through for the run – is to start by positioning your bat behind the crease so that you can’t be Mankaded… and then you can safely stand out of your crease: legal and fair!

Don’t move your bat at all. Keep it behind the crease in the one spot and watch the ball leave the bowler’s hand the moment it leaves his or her hand – then you’re safe and then it’s also fair to lift your bat and to take two or three quick steps down the pitch ready to race through for a single.

That’s the best way to back-up as the non-striker. It’s fair, and it’s also better than how 99% of professional cricketers are backing up in the year 2022!

Shot on location at Westerford High School. Special thanks to the Westerford High School 2nd XI coach and opening batters.