Men generally
do not cry and anyway cries do not take teams anywhere. In Sept 2006, Andre Agassi walked off the
court the way he wanted, to a champion's ovation. A career for the ages came to a close with
Agassi worn down and wincing, losing to 112th-ranked Benjamin Becker 7-5, 6-7
(4), 6-4, 7-5 in the third round at the U.S. Open. Betrayed by a creaky body
that needed four injections this week, his spirit never waned, Agassi was seen
weeping inconsolably ….
Bangladeshi
politician Kamal's ICC role is largely ceremonial since cricket's world
governing body updated its constitution a year ago. He
has nonetheless threatened to resign over the decisions taken by umpires Aleem
Dar and Ian Gould in the match which finished in a 109-run win for India. Kamal
implied the result was a foregone conclusion, and that world cricket is being
run for the benefit of its superpower India. The International Cricket Council has
described the remarks of its own president Mustafa Kamal as 'very unfortunate',
and insists its umpires' 'integrity cannot be questioned'. Mustafa Kamal politicised and is at the
centre of a row making unsavoury remarks on umpiring decisions in the match
that Bangladesh lost to India by a big margin.
Rubel displayed ugly emotions when Kohli got out …
Rohit
Sharma was reprieved as he neared his century when a no-ball was called because
of the height of the delivery; then Shikhar Dhawan, catching Mahmudullah is also criticised as a
marginal call. ICC chief executive David
Richardson has responded with an emphatic dismissal of Kamal's insinuations. 'Any
suggestion that the match officials had 'an agenda' or did anything other than
perform to the best of their ability are baseless and are refuted in the
strongest possible terms.'
World Cup umpires
have been left seething over an attack on their integrity by one of the
International Cricket Council's most senior figures, and could take what would
be extraordinary legal action against one of their own. Privately, the umpires – Englishman Gould and
Pakistan's Dar – were furious, believing the remarks to be defamatory. The
option of whether to sue Kemal over the post-match spray was discussed. Kemal,
a former Bangladesh Cricket Board president, assumed the ICC presidency from
New Zealand's Allan Isaac last June. The position is largely ceremonial. Kemal
said he would raise his complaint with ICC management.
Umpiring
mistakes do happen…. In the first match of this WC, James Taylor
was denied a maiden international century by an umpiring error. In Feb
2012, India tied with Sri Lanka in the One dayer at Adelaide, but their 30th
over contained just five deliveries. In
Jan 2008 Umpire Steve Bucknor at Sydney
in the 2nd Test, had reprieved Andrew Symonds after he got a huge
nick off Ishant Sharma, chose to help the all-rounder again by spotting a
non-existent edge off Dravid's bat. The Test was also marred by poor umpiring
from Mark Benson, who didn't give Ponting out caught behind, and third umpire
Bruce Oxenford, who didn't rule Symonds out stumped. In 2011, in a cruel joke
on the Indian skipper MSD, the third umpire officiating in on the first day of
the second Test at the Kensington Oval - Gregory Brathwaite - was shown a wrong
replay of Fidel Edwards' delivery stride after he dismissed Dhoni off a
delivery. On-field umpire Ian Gould
asked for confirmation of his decision that the delivery was a no-ball, but the
host broadcaster made a silly mistake and showed the umpire a different replay,
of another delivery from Edwards, which naturally wasn't a no-ball. So, Brathwaite
wrongly judged Dhoni out caught at mid-on in the 59th over of India's first
innings. Upon review, IMG Media - the host broadcaster - admitted to ICC that
the delivery that led to Dhoni's dismissal should indeed have been called a
no-ball.
All these were at
best [at worst] blunders on field, none blamed the system or said they were
pre-arranged. The match is not happening
in India, the Umpires are not Indians. Aleem
Dar is from Pakistan and IJ Gould is from England. The TV Umpire - SJ Davis was born in London
and is an Australian. Incidentally, Steve
Davis [along with Simon Taufel] was thre at Lahore when terrorists spilled
bullets. The match referee was Roshan
Mahanama from Sri Lanka and Reserve Umpire was Paul Reiffel, Australia.
Incidentally,
that incident [waist high no ball] occurred in the 40th over bowled
by Rubel Hossain. India made 302/6 – 6 only,
not all out. At the 3nd of over 39, Indians were 194/3 – a run more than what Bangladesh eventually
totalled.
Had Rohit been given out, for sure, other batters would have continued –
it is not as though, Indians would have been bowled out ! People cannot
hide their disappointments nor digest losses ! – tend to display emotions…
With regards – S.
Sampathkumar
21st Mar 2015
