DRS scourged and condemned, should end up in ashes

Never before since its introduction by the International Cricket Council has the Decision Referral System been scourged and condemned like what is happening in the current Ashes series between England and Australia.

From the beginning of the First Test at Trent Bridge to the Second Test in Lord’s and the Third Test at Old Trafford, the umpires and the DRS have come under scathing criticism and quite rightly so. Marias Erasmus, Tony Hill and Kumar Dharmasena on field and TV umpires umpires in the series just ended have made mistakes and where the Third Umpire is expected to right these wrongs, TV umpire has also blundered. These mistakes bring the Decision Review System into focus and question and the immediate reaction is to praise the Board of Control for Cricket in India for stubbornly refusing to play to this controversial system.

System not foolproof

From the outset, the Indians were convinced that this system was not foolproof and refused to play to it. The ICC went on bended knees almost to get India to accept the system. But they stubbornly refused and their stand on the issue has been vindicated. The DRS becomes somewhat of a joke, when it is obvious that while India does not embrace the system, other Test playing nations do.

With this system also being a burden on the respective Cricket Boards because of its high cost, ICC will do well to reconsider the system and roll it up and probably India who has big clout in the game today, will tell them what to do with it.

The system has been ridiculed in the present Ashes Test series and especially in the Third Test where the DRS came in for a scathing attack by the Australian media on a blatant mistake concerning Australian batsman Usman Khawaja.

Calm and collected Kevin Rudd

The usually calm and collected Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who is a keen cricket enthusiast too, joined in the attack condemning it and calling the mistakes made by umpire Tony Hill and upheld by Kumar Dharmasena as ‘one of the worst cricketing decisions I have seen’.

Before going on to comment further, we would like to spare a thought for our own umpire Kumar Dharmasena, who was involved in the controversy and who up to the time of that mistake had done a wonderful job in the series.

This former Sri Lankan off-cutter who was a vital cog in the Sri Lankan World Cup winning squad of 1995/’96 since taking up to umpiring had a phenomenal rise with his spot on decisions and only recently won the ‘ICC umpire of the year‘ award.This is how Khawaja’s out went which caused the DRS to come under fire at Old Trafford. After being given out for a single by on field umpire Tony Hill, caught behind off Graeme Swann, he immediately reviewed the New Zealander’s decision.

‘Absolutely shocking’

DRS appeared to indicate there was no noise at the moment the bat ought to have hit the ball and nor did Hotspot reveal an edge. Yet Kumar Dharmasena upheld Hill’s decision, prompting Australia’s spin great Shane Warne doing commentary for SKY TV to label the decision ‘absolutely shocking’, with Kevin Rudd calling it ‘one of the worst he had seen’.

Cricket Australia a strong supporter of the Decision Review System, were also upset by the decision and Cricket Australia’s Chief Executive John Suntherland said he was seeking a clarification from the International Cricket Council on the ‘incorrect’ exit of Usman Khawaja. As for us the culprits who should take the blame for causing the uproar are England wicket keeper Matt Prior, bowler Graeme Swann and the close in fielders for appealing and putting the onus and the pressure on umpire Tony Hill, the head umpire. The Brits obviously would have known that Khawaja did not get bat to ball. Instead of waiting for the batsman to review, Captain Alastair Cook and his men would have been appreciated and applauded had they spoken to Hill and reversed their appeal.

Unacceptable to many

Instead by remaining mum, the Brits caused a lot of bad blood. Why they did not act the sport and sort out this simple problem was baffling and was unacceptable to many.It only goes to prove and show that winning is not the thing, it is the only thing! We are sure the Brits are aware of the age old adage and one which is taught to any youngster taking to the game, that it is not the winning or the losing that matters, but how one played the game.

To detract and in lighter vein had blatant umpiring decisions occurred in Sri Lanka and especially in school cricket shouts of ‘hora umpire’ (rogue umpire) would have been heard and also the umpire open to assault by irate fans after the game. This reminds and prompts me to relate an incident that took place when I captained my school at cricket St. Benedict’s College. We were playing Royal at Reid Avenue in 1960.

Lost a close game

One of the umpires whose name was Lappen, had a bad game and at the receiving end were the Benedictines who lost a close game to Royal. At the end of the game there was an alleged assault on umpire Lappen.

And the man who apparently led the assault was an Old Ben and diehard supporter Ben Anthony. But what evokes lung splitting laughter is this. After that incident when ever or wherever we played and an appeal was made to the umpire – the husky voice of Ben was heard shouting – what happened to Lappen will happen to you’, and the umpire was quick to turn down the appeal.

Incidentally two of Ben’s sons, Tyronne was a good cricketer but could not progress in the game , while Errol captained the green, white and green school at soccer and went on to play for Sri Lanka as a sharp shooting striker.

Incidentally Ranjit Fernando, the former Sri Lanka opening batsman and wicket-keeper who has served in many capacities in Sri Lanka Cricket and now doing TV Commentary for Ten Sports was a member of that Benedictine squad.

Controversy and ill feeling

To get back to the Ashes series and never has there been a series that has witnessed so much of controversy and ill feeling. The ‘bodyline’ series, where one side was accused of not playing cricket pales into insignificance when one considers what is happening now. After the DRS comedy involving the umpires, the latest comedy to unfold was the stoppage for bad light, with the floodlights burning brightly on the 4th day of the Third Test at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Australia who are two down in the Five-match series and who were in a strong position to attempt for victory and keep the series, that has been described as one of ‘bitter rivalry’ alive were fuming when the umpires decided to take the players off the field, citing poor light after consulting their light meters.

At that time Australia were leading by 331 runs with a lot more time remaining. England came out in bad light for dawdling through the overs and employing a series of stalling tactics and attempting to force the umpires to leave the field for bad light. Aussie Captain Michael Clarke showed his displeasure.

Unbecoming behaviour

Unbecoming behaviour when one considers that it was the Brits who gave the game of cricket to the world. Then it was hilarious to note that the umpires had asked England Captain Cook to bowl spin at both ends if they were to continue with the game. Cook quite rightly refused.

Like a wag commented – it looks like the umpires, in addition to playing the roles of umpires were also wanting to play the role of captains. Umpires are there to control the game and they better stick to it.

The famed and respected Aussie cricket writer Malcolm Conn writing in the ‘Daily Telegraph’ summed it all quite succinctly by saying that – CRICKET CONTINUES TO MAKE A FOOL OF ITSELF -.

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