5 worst decisions in modern day cricket

Who can forget Sydney 2008?Playing a cricket match is one thing. Playing a cricket match better than your opponent is another thing. Winning a cricket match is an altogether different thing from the first two. Sometimes you perform much better than the other team, but still at the end of the day, you do not have the match in your hand. Why does it go like this?The answer is simple.

Generally cricket has three departments- batting, bowling and fielding. But there is another department like the fourth pillar of the modern-day state, the media, which may overshadow the finesse of all the other three departments and that too by just a single movement of a finger or sometimes by the absence of it. That fourth pillar here is Umpiring.

It played its role in the controversial Sydney Test between India and Australia in 2008, when despite putting up a marvellous performance, India lost the match. It also took part in deciding the India-Australia match in Sharjah back in 1998, when Sachin Tendulkar walked off the field when he edged an above shoulder ball to the keeper and the umpire did not call it a no-ball.

Kumar SangakkaThe list may well go on and on. But we are here to take a look at the five worst decisions in modern day cricket starting with the Hobart Test in 2007 where Australia played against Sri Lanka.

#5 Kumar Sangakkara vs Australia in 2007

Australia vs Sri Lanka, Hobart, Nov 16-20, 2007 Sri Lanka, 4th Innings, 364-8, 99.4 Overs,

Stuart Clarke to Kumar Sangakkara, Umpire Rudy Koertzen

Australia met Sri Lanka in Hobart for the 2nd match of the 2 match series with a 1-0 lead. The home side gave Sri Lanka a mammoth 507 run target to equal the series. Sri Lanka had made 265-3 before they suffered a middle-lower order collapse which reduced them to 290-8. The only piece of resistance was from Kumar Sangakkara who was seemingly impregnable even against the Johnson-Lee-Clark pace attack.

He had scored 192 when he went for a pull shot against Stuart Clark. He was a little early on the shot and missed the ball completely. The ball hit his upper arm and went towards slip corner where it was taken by Ricky Ponting.

The Australian fielders went for the appeal while Sangakkara showed no indication of anxiety. However, he had to show the signs of disappointment when the slow-motion finger of Rudi Koertzen directed him towards the pavilion. Replays clearly showed there was a huge gap between ball and the bat, and Rudi got it absolutely wrong.

Sri Lanka eventually lost the match by 96 runs, which might have gone in either team’s pocket had Sangakkara not been given out. However, one thing is almost certain, he was denied a richly derserved double ton.

#4 Ramnaresh Sarwan vs Zimbabwe in 2013

Zimbabwe tour of West Indies, 2nd ODI: West Indies v Zimbabwe at St George's, Feb 24, 2013

West Indies 2nd Innings, 123-2 in 30.1 overs; Chibhaba to Sarwan(53), Umpire Nero

Zimbabwe posted a reasonable score on the board setting up 274 runs for the Windies to win. West Indies required another 151 in last 20 overs with 8 wickets in hands. Chibhaba started the 31st over of the innings by bowling a slightly fuller length ball which was driven straight by Sarwan.

The bowler had a little misfield and the batsmen ran for the single. Chikabva from extra cover collected the ball and struck the stumps with a direct hit. Sarwan knew he was gone and the fielders were also confident.

The replay confirmed the same and Sarwan’s dismal reactions since he was good eight inches short of his ground. But what was that? He was not out! Umpire Nero had not referred it to the 3rd umpire. The Zimbabwean fielders had not protested at all, and they readily went for the next ball.

Sarwan was on 53 at that time and he went to score 120 not out and saw his team home. Had he been given out, the Windies might have tasted a defeat.

#3 Ab de Villiers vs India in 2007

Future Cup, 3rd ODI: India v South Africa at Belfast, Jul 1, 2007

South Africa 1st Innings, 8-2, 4.1 Overs, Zaheer Khan to Ab de Villiers (8), Umpire Aleem Dar

Rain delayed the start of the match and a 31-overs per side match had begun.

Ajit Agarkar sent van Wyk and Kallis back to the pavilion for ducks and South Africa were struggling at 8-2 after 4 overs. Very first ball of the next over pitches at good length and takes an outside edge off de Villiers’ bat which is taken cleanly at first slip by Sachin Tendulkar.

The fielders run to celebrate the wicket while de Villiers stands his ground. Indian players appeal while Aleem Dar is unmoved. In the mic, we can hear Tendulkar saying,”Ask him has the ball hit the ground? Indian fielders argue with the umpire but he is unconvinced. Replay confirms a massive outside edge off de Villiers’ bat.

However, the decision went in favour of India since he scored just 7 off the next 24 balls before giving his wicket to Sourav Ganguly in the 13th over. India won the match by 6 wickets, but it got a little close in the end when they required 21 off the last 3 overs. Some more runs from de Villiers’ bat might have changed the result of the game.

#2 Stuart Broad vs Australia in 2013

Australia tour of England and Scotland, 1st Test: England v Australia at Nottingham, Jul 10-14, 2013

England 3rd Innings 297-6, 117.6 Overs, Ashton Agar to Stuart Broad (37), Umpire Aleem Dar

It was the 1st Test of the Ashes 2013 and the debut of Ashton Agar where he scored 98 off 101 balls coming in at number 11, which is a world record. Australia recovered from 117-9 to score a reasonable 280 in reply to England’s 215. England in their second had scored 297-6 when umpiring saw one of its worst moments.

Ashton Agar bowled an almost good length delivery outside which was heavily edged by Broad. It was taken by Michael Clarke and the Australia team thought they have got their man.

Broad did not move and neither did Aleem Dar’s finger. The Australian side stood there in utter disappointment and sheer astonishment. Broad simply walked to his partner to mark the end-of-the-over ritual. Replay confirmed a big outside edge. Second in a row for Aleem Dar on the list.

Broad was on 37 and he scored another 28 before falling off to Pattinson. England won the match by 14 runs, half of which came from Broad’s bat after he was given another life by the umpire.

#1 Usman Khawaja vs England in 2013

England vs Australia, 3rd Ashes Test at Manchester, Aug 1-5, 2013, Australia 1st Innings, 82-1, 22.6 Overs

Graeme Swann to Usman Khawaja (1), Umpire Hill, TV Umpire Dharmasena

How does it make to the top of the list? Well, It had DRS and it still could not be got right.

Manchester was the venue for the 3rd Ashes Test of 2013. Having won the first two Tests of the series, England required a draw to retain the Ashes. Australia were batting at 82-1 when Usman Khawaja went to drive the last ball of the 23rd over bowled by Graeme Swann.

The ball turned a great deal and Khawaja missed the ball very closely to be appealed against. There was a sound while the ball was near the bat, and there was a huge appeal. Lloyd Hill’s finger went up and there were jubilations all around in the English Camp. Khawaja after discussing with his partner at the non-striker’s end went for the review.

TV Umpire Dharmasena watched the replay from different angles. The front camera confirmed the sound came before the ball reached the bat while the back camera showed the bat hitting the pad before the ball had been anywhere near the bat.

Thus, the sound was justified not to have come from the contact of the ball and bat. Then, the umpire also checked the hotspot. Nothing on it. Not even a hint of it. Commentators were sure that the decision must be overturned.

Dharmasena gets on the mic, says something to Lloyd Hill and the finger goes up again. Nobody can believe it. What a shame. The match was a draw when rain did not allow two sessions of day 5. England were struggling at 37-3 at that time.