Sir, Cricket has had to endure its share of scandal and bad press, what with the match-fixing allegations and the attendant stench of illegal bookies. But on Sunday at Trent Bridge, that was all forgotten. The spirit of the game, often talked about but seldom seen, shone through brightly.

Credit must go to the Indian team and its management led by manager Duncan Fletcher and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for retracting an appeal, which was in accordance with the laws of the game. That it was done when India desperately needed Ian Bell’s wicket made it even more honourable. To add to it, most of the commentators on radio and television debated the matter fairly and in a bipartisan way. It was cricket’s finest hour for some time now. The only aberration was the crowd booing the umpires and the Indian team when they walked out after tea. But that’s mob mentality for you. I was proud to be a cricket fan. Honour has been restored.