When the ICC pulled the plug on the use of runners last week, a unique cricketing character
breathed his last writes Sandeep Dwivedi in the Indian Express. A modest man who loved to stay in the background, the ‘third batsman’ brought joy, tears and hearty laughs to the cricket
field. Thanks for the memories, says the author.

Whatever said and done, the runner sure did add another dimension to the game, making cricket’s narrative all the more richer. He had to judge the power of his batsman’s shot, making a split second decision on whether to take the single or not. The batsman banked on the runner to give optimum value to his strokes. Like in life as in sport, when a man’s fortunes depend on someone else, drama isn’t too far from the scene.

In the same newspaper, Siddhartha Sharma looks at some classic cases in cricket history featuring runners. (And here's our own XI of best runner stories).