In 2014, in a match between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders, Andre Russell came up with an unusual way of preventing Shane Watson from scoring against him.
He ran into bowl as normal, but just as he reached the bowling crease, he slowed down suddenly, as if he was going to abort his run-up. Watson, who was playing for the Royals, was deceived, and backed out of his batting stance, expecting Russell to start afresh.
Instead, the Russell bowler continued, with an ambling action that was almost in slow motion, and eventually delivered the ball.
By this stage Watson was completely confused as to what was happening. He was too stunned to react in time, and, instead of taking up his guard again, allowed the ball to go past him harmlessly. In the record books it went down as an ordinary dot ball, but it sparked a furious debate as to its legality.
There was no law that explicitly covered such a situation. The closest that anybody could find when they consulted the rule book was Law 42.4 which states that it is unfair for a fielder to deliberately distract the striker while he is preparing to receive a delivery.
It was difficult to argue that Russell had attempted to distract Watson, even if that had been the outcome. Instead, all he had done was alter his run-up.
Switching hands on the side of the wicket where the bowler intends to bowl is something they need to notify the umpires first, but there is no such provision when it comes to the run-up.
It is another question altogether as to what Russell did was ethical. There were certainly some at the time who felt that he had breached the spirit of the game. In other words, it was just not cricket!
As a tactic, it can only be used sparingly. Batters will soon grow wise to such manoeuvres and take measures to capitalise on such deliveries.