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Steve Bucknor has been playing against India

2008-01-08

Steve Bucknor has been playing against India for a long time"

"They should use technology more and allow batsmen to ask for the third umpire"

"The Australian fielders, more or less, they cheated"

 

 

CHENNAI: "Atrocious... A horror show... The Australians are playing with thirteen players. It seems like the umpires are also on their team."

The city's cricket enthusiasts are up in arms against the poor umpiring decisions in the second Test between India and Australia, which ended with defeat for the Indians on Sunday.

More than nine thousand km away from the Sydney Cricket Ground, many ardent fans in Chennai woke early on Sunday morning to track the final hours of the tense contest, only to be left disappointed by umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson.

"I don't know whether they did it on purpose or whether they went to sleep, but the Indian team should make a complaint. This happens only when India plays in foreign lands," said retired banker V. Ramanan.

Businessman T.S. Narayanaswamy had delayed his return from Tirupati to Chennai in order to watch the match, but was left fuming at the way the umpires cost India the Test. "Steve Bucknor has been playing against India for a long time. He actually seemed quite enthusiastic to put up his hands [to signal a wicket] with a smile on his face," he said.

Dearth of good umpires

 

 

"There is a dearth of good umpires. They should use technology more and allow batsmen to ask for the third umpire," he added.

"If it hadn't been for the wrong decisions, India would have easily won the match," said a disappointed A. Hashwanth, who avidly followed the match despite preparing for Class 12 examinations.

Apart from the umpires, he was most indignant at Australian captain Ricky Ponting and fielder Michael Clarke who appealed against Saurav Ganguly despite the fact that the catch was not cleanly taken. "The Australian fielders, more or less, they cheated," he said.

Blatant mistake

 

 

Architect John S. Rajan agreed. "Rahul Dravid's dismissal was a blatant mistake. Adam Gilchrist was in a perfect position to know that the bat was nowhere near the ball and still, without even batting an eyelid, he started jumping up and down. That kind of aggressive appealing just puts pressure on the umpires," he said.

In the face of such dishonesty, it was ridiculous that umpire Mark Benson had then taken Ponting's word on the Ganguly catch, rather than consulting his colleague at square leg or the third umpire, said Mr. Rajan.

Pat for Indians

 

 

His mother, who watched the match with him, gave credit to the Indians' attitude. "They reacted very graciously, without making a fuss, unlike how the Australians acted," she said.

"They proved they were the better team, integrity-wise," said software professional Gokulakrishnan T.G. "There are more important things than winning."

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