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     Sagar Junior Artist Username: Sagar Post Number: 279 Registered: 09-2007 Posted From: 68.227.212.80 Rating: N/A |
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| Sagar Junior Artist Username: Sagar Post Number: 278 Registered: 09-2007 Posted From: 68.227.212.80 Rating: N/A |
Why do we accept bad umpires? India may have narrowly lost the second Test match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but the team was hardly disgraced. On the contrary, all five battle-hardened veterans in the team came off with flying colours though the team management probably missed a trick or two by not officially registering a complaint against the hideously incompetent umpiring, though the BCCI has now finally decided to lodge an official complaint with the ICC. The two umpires for this match – Messrs Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor – who could qualify to receive the Baggy Green caps as mementos as a token of appreciation from Ponting and his men, just went from bad to worse as the match progressed, though they reserved their worst for Day 5 by giving palpably dubious decisions against Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly. While Dravid, never known to display emotions on the field, was seen walking away with a rueful smile and a few swishes of his bat after being adjudged caught behind by Bucknor while replays showed broad daylight between bat and ball, the much-maligned Ganguly was probably too dumbfounded when he was ruled out off a catch, that seemed less than clean in the replays. The umpires declared Ganguly out after Benson asked Ponting who claimed that Michael Clarke’s catch was clean. When was the last time one heard the umpire asking a captain’s view before taking a decision? At best he could take a fielder’s view, but then Bucknor is probably seeking Australian citizenship in addition to that Baggy Green and Benson wants to migrate too. What is surprising is the team’s decision to refrain from posting a formal complaint despite being backed by the BCCI back home. Though team manager Chetan Chauhan came to Harbhajan Singh’s defence in the racial abuse row, there still remains the question as to whose idea it was to refrain from lodging a protest against incompetent umpires? And why is it that only the Indian team (apart from minnows Bangladesh) insists on playing goody two-shoes every time they are faced with such fracas. The two exceptions that readily come to mind relate to Sunil Gavaskar’s decision to take his partner Chetan Chauhan off the field after being given out during the 1977 series in Australia and India’s decision not to play a third Test versus South Africa after match referee Mike Denness penalised five players of the team, including Sachin Tendulkar for various offences. Now compare this meek reaction with the fiery manner in which Pakistan and Sri Lanka reacted to umpires in recent times that resulted in ICC removing an umpire considered by all Asian teams as an individual with racial beliefs. He was the same gentleman who gave Sachin out when the ball hit his body, the one who no-balled Muralitharan seven times and infamously decided to award the match to England even while Pakistan was contemplating resuming the game. This person, who gave Hair-raising decisions and was also obsessed with “teaching” the Asians manners and honesty, was pushed out from the ICC panel, thanks to the sway that Asian teams hold at the ICC now. One wonders, why the same muscle powers cannot be brought to bear to get rid of an umpire whose sight has dimmed and hearing has weakened considerably. In fact, but for this Steve another Steve would have retired from the world of cricket with a Test defeat. Yes, we refer to Steve Waugh who managed to save the Sydney Test in 2003-04 thanks to this great Aussie benefactor. Maybe, Steve Waugh has a point when he says that the need for neutral umpires is long over. Cricket would be much better served if we replace them with competent ones. It is anybody’s guess how a local umpire like Simon Tauffel would have fared in this Test match and whether the results would have been any different. Source: Raj Narayan, India Syndicate Also Read: BCCI to lodge official complaint against umpiring Bucknor is paid six-figure salary for on-field work Three former captains slam Ponting on racial issue ICC considering testing player referrals ICC will stick with neutral umpires, says Gavaskar Your take: Should India seek replacement of umpire Bucknor for the next two Tests? |
