hopper on 21/8/2006 at 16:13
This thread is better than any cricket thread I could ever dream of.
Which perhaps says a little about me, but sure as hell a lot about cricket.
Paz on 21/8/2006 at 16:15
It was probably pretty boring for the spectators who had to sit around for two hours while being told absolutely nothing about the situation.
I think this was originally intended to be a mini-protest by Pakistan, which descended into TERRIBLE FARCE. We don't yet know if Darrell Hair actually had any evidence for his ball tampering (oo-er) claims other than "the ball looks a bit odd", but if he didn't he needs a slap in the chops. Obviously Pakistan were a bit miffed at being accused and punished without the chance to defend themselves - and with Hair's past form in games involving them, they clearly decided to make a bit of a statement.
I'm pretty sure that was never intended to be much more than "we'll come out a bit late after tea", but that's when the shenanigans started; with the result that whenever the teams/umpires tried to take the field one or more of them was always missing for whatever reason. After a couple of false starts the game was pretty much doomed as everyone desperately flapped around trying to save face (fairly unsuccessfully).
I'm going to blame Mr. Hair for everything, purely because he seems to have behaved like an utter cock about Muralitharan's bowling action back in 1995.
SD on 21/8/2006 at 16:26
Quote Posted by Paz
I'm going to blame Mr. Hair for everything, purely because he seems to have behaved like an utter cock about Muralitharan's bowling action back in 1995.
I don't think you can blame the match officials for this. All they've done is follow procedures. If Pakistan wanted to protest the umpire's decision, there are official ways and means of doing that. Needless to say, throwing a hissy fit and refusing to return to the field isn't it.
Matthew on 21/8/2006 at 16:32
But is merely delaying your return to the field sufficient? The reports I have seen suggested that the umpires 'deemed' Pakistan to have conceded. Is that the actual procedure in the rules for this sort of case, or did the umpires do a bit of bodging?
Paz on 21/8/2006 at 16:39
Well, I was being a bit facetious with that last line. Only a bit though.
You're right that the officials did everything "by the book". Which is to say "fuck the spectators, we'll follow rule 54.3b/subclause 1.9 TO THE DEATH even though we could actually get the game back on again".
There was a point yesterday where both teams were willing to take to the field again. The crowd were still there, waiting for some play. It would have made a great deal of sense to at least TRY to let it continue.
But no. Because Pakistan had "conceded" the game based on a technicality in a fat book of rules, the spectators get to see dick all. The people who had tickets for whatever play was left today get to see dick all. All because one umpire is too fucking proud to come out of his hut, or too frightened to bend some laws.
There is also the open question of whether his approach to the "ball tampering" incident led to any kind of protest being mooted in the first place. They wouldn't have even considered it unless they were VERY sure that a mistake had been made. This is cricket we're talking about, teams usually accept even the most terrible decisions with fairly good grace.
It's a bit of a sour end to what was previously a pretty good series, anyway.
Para?noid on 21/8/2006 at 18:47
Quote Posted by Strontium Dog
I don't think you can blame the match officials for this. All they've done is follow procedures. If Pakistan wanted to protest the umpire's decision, there are official ways and means of doing that. Needless to say, throwing a hissy fit and refusing to return to the field isn't it.
On the contrary, they could easily be the ones responsible for it devolving into a TERRIBLE FARCE as Paz said. I couldn't possibly think of better conditions for the structure of their swing bowling and the state of the ball. I expect you know how cricket is, and that serious allegations will carry serious results, regardless of your position in the field.
At the end of the day it's weak diplomacy - the umpires accuse the team of cheating from CONJECTURE, give no point of discussion to either team or proof. By the time the Pakistan team are chilled out and ready to play he's in there and refusing to come out himself. What a big fucking cockmaster, every single person in the ground has now lost out. Congrats.
It looks all the more silly when The Oval can't get it's shit together and let everyone know what the fuck is going down. The only way any of this bullshit matters anyhow is if the umpires actually saw tampering at the time, which is impossible to prove so they can say whatever the fuck they want to save themselves.
Aerothorn on 21/8/2006 at 21:35
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
ercles on 22/8/2006 at 10:55
The part that I don't get is why Pakistan were refused to be explained how they had been deemed to have tampered with the ball. This lack of communication seems to be the source of the whole shemozzle.
Para?noid on 22/8/2006 at 11:30
Quote Posted by Aerothorn
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
you are a faggot
