The Aussie Way
The Test match - if ever one was being played - has finally ended. At the time of my penning of this post, Harbhajan's lamb is out for slaughter, and in all probabilites, as the previous experiences shows - it would surely be.
I say this because Indians have always drawn special affection from ICC Match refrees be it Mike Dennis the mennice, Jeff Crowe, Mike Procter, Ranjan Madugalle, Dennis Lindsay and many others of the yore.
Not only this, nothing will happen to the immediate careers of Steve Bucknor, and Mark Bensen. I know better of Malcom Speed than this. He is a great fan of his officials, and is infact quite possesive about them. He thinks they are the best available.
Occasionally, he fatherly chides them for not doing their job properly like he recently scolded Proctor letting off Yuvraj Singh for the dissent(for staying too long on the pitch after dimissal). Sourav Ganguly also faces trouble for banging his bat besides the pitch.
Its another matter a few of his favourite protigees like Darrel Hair have behaved with him a bit naughty some times. Its another matter still that Ricky Ponting throws his bat in disgust, and even abuses umpires regularly( he did that to an Indian umpire during last tour) and still referees look the other way.
BCCI, howeever, will do their part well. They will fret and fume, and beat the bush around, and would finally walk the dotted line - keeping on with the series. Sadly, how we miss Jagmohan nee Jaggu Dalmiya in such times. Howmuch ever babu his English might have sound due to that Marwai tinge, but he was never the one to mince his words, and would always walk the talk.
Entertaining and Hard Cricket
Ponting claims his team played "Hard" and "Entertaining" Cricket. I would agree. They appealed hard, as usual. They must have abused every Indian player, and his mother even harder. He appealed hardest even when his hand, with the ball on that hand, went hard on the ground. The entertaining part was that there was hardly any bat contact to that.
He was also very entertainingly animated over his wrong LBW decision. I reckon all this wouldn't have been necessary in the first place. Had he walked way instead of looking unlfinchingly at the umpire, or had that umpire correctly(or shall I say honestly) read that complete give away look, and given him out - he wouldn't have felt so bad about the later decision.
The Fourth Umpire
Ganguly edged, and was 'caught' by Michael Clarke. They all appealed in unision for the catch. So what, if it was caught bump! So what, if the ball was grounded immediately soon. Yet they appealed.
Ganguly waited, and so did the umpire Mike Brensen who was like the batsman - in doubt. One would have thought that he would ask Steve Bucknor or the third umpire.
Instead he asked the fourth umpire - Mr Ricky Pointing, who dutifully raised his finger like an umpire does. What kind of stupidity was this ?
I mean, if at all Brensen was going to believe players' word, and since the cheats were any way appealing as they insisted it was out, then why didn't Brensen give Ganguly out in the first place ?
Of Numbness, and Sheepishness
Ricky Ponting is passing the baton to worthy hands. Ricky Ponting is a great batsman, and a great cheat. Michael Clarke is a good batsman, but even greater cheat. When all this Ganguly drama was being enacted, the sheepish look on Clarke's face said it all. He looked like a thieve just acquitted due to lack of evidence. He knew it all.
But more intrguing was his own dismissal. Even after taking as thick-as-a-thicket edge, and being caught at the slip by Dravid, he stubbornly stood to his ground. Indian players had to shout their lungs out to get the correct decision from Bucknor, who took much lesser time to give Rahul Dravid out incorrectly.
Years ago, 2001 to be precise, Ridley Jacobs claimed stumping of Virendra Sehwag, even when the ball was not in his correct hand. Sehwag was adjudged out. Later, ICC referee took suo moto action and suspended him for the cheating. Wouldn't this nefarious behaviour of the future captain of Australia tantamounts cheating ?
Now, what may be the reason behind his not walking? Mathew Hayden offers one during the press conference. According to Hayden, Clarke waited to see umpire's finger go up. Well, if that's case, then from the next time, complete Indian team can raise their middle finger up, instead of index one, for Clarke's viewership whenever he is adjudged & allowed out.
According to me there could be two theories. One that he might be taking a chance with Bucknor for he knows anything is possible with Bucknor around. However, there is another one.
Michael Clarke has recently been cured of skin cancer. I am not sure, but with all those chemos and radios, sometimes skin may get numb at some places. Clarke might not have sensed the the ball hitting his bat. Its a long shot, but possible.
Monkey Business
In one of my previous post I have already written that Andrew Symonds is not a monkey. Australian team is requested to please change that alibi for the accusation. It shows homework not properly done.
Breaking News
As I finish this story, news has just comes in that Harbhajan has been handed 3 test match suspension. Well, Ponting must breathe easy for now onwards, he too will do some scoring.
I say this because Indians have always drawn special affection from ICC Match refrees be it Mike Dennis the mennice, Jeff Crowe, Mike Procter, Ranjan Madugalle, Dennis Lindsay and many others of the yore.
Not only this, nothing will happen to the immediate careers of Steve Bucknor, and Mark Bensen. I know better of Malcom Speed than this. He is a great fan of his officials, and is infact quite possesive about them. He thinks they are the best available.
Occasionally, he fatherly chides them for not doing their job properly like he recently scolded Proctor letting off Yuvraj Singh for the dissent(for staying too long on the pitch after dimissal). Sourav Ganguly also faces trouble for banging his bat besides the pitch.
Its another matter a few of his favourite protigees like Darrel Hair have behaved with him a bit naughty some times. Its another matter still that Ricky Ponting throws his bat in disgust, and even abuses umpires regularly( he did that to an Indian umpire during last tour) and still referees look the other way.
BCCI, howeever, will do their part well. They will fret and fume, and beat the bush around, and would finally walk the dotted line - keeping on with the series. Sadly, how we miss Jagmohan nee Jaggu Dalmiya in such times. Howmuch ever babu his English might have sound due to that Marwai tinge, but he was never the one to mince his words, and would always walk the talk.
Entertaining and Hard Cricket
Ponting claims his team played "Hard" and "Entertaining" Cricket. I would agree. They appealed hard, as usual. They must have abused every Indian player, and his mother even harder. He appealed hardest even when his hand, with the ball on that hand, went hard on the ground. The entertaining part was that there was hardly any bat contact to that.
He was also very entertainingly animated over his wrong LBW decision. I reckon all this wouldn't have been necessary in the first place. Had he walked way instead of looking unlfinchingly at the umpire, or had that umpire correctly(or shall I say honestly) read that complete give away look, and given him out - he wouldn't have felt so bad about the later decision.
The Fourth Umpire
Ganguly edged, and was 'caught' by Michael Clarke. They all appealed in unision for the catch. So what, if it was caught bump! So what, if the ball was grounded immediately soon. Yet they appealed.
Ganguly waited, and so did the umpire Mike Brensen who was like the batsman - in doubt. One would have thought that he would ask Steve Bucknor or the third umpire.
Instead he asked the fourth umpire - Mr Ricky Pointing, who dutifully raised his finger like an umpire does. What kind of stupidity was this ?
I mean, if at all Brensen was going to believe players' word, and since the cheats were any way appealing as they insisted it was out, then why didn't Brensen give Ganguly out in the first place ?
Of Numbness, and Sheepishness
Ricky Ponting is passing the baton to worthy hands. Ricky Ponting is a great batsman, and a great cheat. Michael Clarke is a good batsman, but even greater cheat. When all this Ganguly drama was being enacted, the sheepish look on Clarke's face said it all. He looked like a thieve just acquitted due to lack of evidence. He knew it all.
But more intrguing was his own dismissal. Even after taking as thick-as-a-thicket edge, and being caught at the slip by Dravid, he stubbornly stood to his ground. Indian players had to shout their lungs out to get the correct decision from Bucknor, who took much lesser time to give Rahul Dravid out incorrectly.
Years ago, 2001 to be precise, Ridley Jacobs claimed stumping of Virendra Sehwag, even when the ball was not in his correct hand. Sehwag was adjudged out. Later, ICC referee took suo moto action and suspended him for the cheating. Wouldn't this nefarious behaviour of the future captain of Australia tantamounts cheating ?
Now, what may be the reason behind his not walking? Mathew Hayden offers one during the press conference. According to Hayden, Clarke waited to see umpire's finger go up. Well, if that's case, then from the next time, complete Indian team can raise their middle finger up, instead of index one, for Clarke's viewership whenever he is adjudged & allowed out.
According to me there could be two theories. One that he might be taking a chance with Bucknor for he knows anything is possible with Bucknor around. However, there is another one.
Michael Clarke has recently been cured of skin cancer. I am not sure, but with all those chemos and radios, sometimes skin may get numb at some places. Clarke might not have sensed the the ball hitting his bat. Its a long shot, but possible.
Monkey Business
In one of my previous post I have already written that Andrew Symonds is not a monkey. Australian team is requested to please change that alibi for the accusation. It shows homework not properly done.
Breaking News
As I finish this story, news has just comes in that Harbhajan has been handed 3 test match suspension. Well, Ponting must breathe easy for now onwards, he too will do some scoring.
posted by Unknown at 9:30 PM
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