Cricket Blog

Bucknor OUT, Bowden IN

In what is an about turn by the ICC, controversial umpire and the main man who cost India the Sydney test, Steve Bucknor has been removed from the third match to be played in Perth. He has been replaced by Umpire Billy Bowden. The ICC had refused to remove Bucknor in earlier news reports, however, it seems that they have had a reality check in the last few hours.

ICC Chief Executive, Mr Malcolm Speed had the following statement to make:

“It is accepted that Steve, and his on-field colleague Mark Benson, did not have good games by their very high standards and we feel that given the added pressure and attention Steve’s presence would have at the third Test, it is better for the match and for Steve himself if he does not take part.”

We all saw what kind of high standards they have. And Bucknor has shown his high standards in previous games as well. The ICC has also sent in Ranjan Madugalle as a facilitator to try and get the two captains on peaceful terms before the start of what is going to be a fiery test match in Perth.

News report confirming Buckner’s removal from the Perth Test

In more news, the ICC has also allowed Harbhajan Singh to play the remainder of the series concluding which his appeal against the three match ban will be heard.

Although this is not enough to simmer the fire that the Sydney test has created, it still shows that common sense will prevail. At the end of the day it is the ICC’s responsibility to ensure that an atmosphere is maintained where the game of cricket can be played without further controversy. Malcolm Speed may not be too happy with making the above statement as he is an arrogant bureaucrat and has been after players/officials from the sub-continent ever since he took office.

News report on India’s public to the ban

The remaining part of this series is now going to be played with an animosity that did not previously exist in India-Aus ties. The Australians have, however, shot themselves in the foot as any amount of sledging is now going to be reported as derogatory/racial language against its most vociferous players including skipper Ponting, supposedly-abused Symonds, big fat mouth Hayden, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Brad Hogg (who has also been charged by Indians for calling Kumble and Dhoni ‘bastards’).

If the Harbhajan ban is revoked on grounds of insufficient evidence, which it should, then it is going to be a major setback for Match referee Mike Proctor who was “convinced beyond doubt” that Bhajji is a racist. Well how about that. This coming from a man who belonged to that South African “white” team which was banned from international cricket during the apartheid days. The blatant disregard for the rule of law which states innocent until proven guilty, Mike Procter has no doubt put himself in the firing line and a man to be watched for. With Buckner’s days numbered, Procter should also start the countdown for his own retirement/resignation/sacking.

More discussion on the utterly disgraceful and one-sided umpiring decisions

This may very well be too little too late but once again I say common sense has prevailed, something that is as rare as a Dodo eating an ice-cream when it comes to ICC handling White vs Non-white affairs. This is still what the ICC is doing as damage control. The more contentious issue is about the attitude and behavior of the Australian players. Until and unless there is some sort of commitment/action taken by Cricket Australia, there will be a scar on the relationship between Indian and Australia cricket. The funny part it that Ponting doesn’t understand the implications of his and his team-mates’ actions in the last few days.

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