"No umpire in his right frame and alertness would have missed the fact that the ball touched his shoulders and then the helmet before Ricky Ponting took the ball clean in his hands. It was not a catch. Sangakkara was clearly not out."by. Victor Karunairajan reporting from Australia
(November, 21, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lanka lost the Second Test at Hobart by 97 runs but not before a gallant fight back worthy of a team with guts and determination. Kumar Sangakkara's great knock was strangled out by a stupid decision by the umpire when he was 192 sailing smoothly towards a double century and probably a match winner too.
No umpire in his right frame and alertness would have missed the fact that the ball touched his shoulders and then the helmet before Ricky Ponting took the ball clean in his hands. It was not a catch. Sangakkara was clearly not out.
The umpire could not have missed the ball as it went past the batsman. If he did have any doubts he should have consulted the third umpire. He didn't.
Kumar Sangakkara's innings was crafted masterly and he fully well deserved a double century. The way Lasitha Malinga batted with back-to-back sixers, the calm confidence he exuded, one can conclude with two sessions of play in hand, Sri Lanka could have won the match but for the stupid decision of the umpire.
It would have been a great match.
What is also surprising was none of the Aussie media has made a song and dance about this horrible decision. They are only talking that the Australians have won 14 test matches in a draw and using repeatedly Muralidharan being bowled by a straight ball from Brett Lee as an illustration from the match.
Even for an Australian supporter like me - but not when Australia plays Sri Lanka and India - it is difficult to tolerate the attitude of the Australian media and worse, Australians are bad losers. Of all the centurions in this particular series, the best innings was that of Kumar Sangakkara. He also showed what a gracious person he is by greeting the umpire who made that terrible decision against him with his arm around his shoulder after the game.
Hardly any Australian would have been that gracious.
No umpire in his right frame and alertness would have missed the fact that the ball touched his shoulders and then the helmet before Ricky Ponting took the ball clean in his hands. It was not a catch. Sangakkara was clearly not out.
The umpire could not have missed the ball as it went past the batsman. If he did have any doubts he should have consulted the third umpire. He didn't.
Kumar Sangakkara's innings was crafted masterly and he fully well deserved a double century. The way Lasitha Malinga batted with back-to-back sixers, the calm confidence he exuded, one can conclude with two sessions of play in hand, Sri Lanka could have won the match but for the stupid decision of the umpire.
It would have been a great match.
What is also surprising was none of the Aussie media has made a song and dance about this horrible decision. They are only talking that the Australians have won 14 test matches in a draw and using repeatedly Muralidharan being bowled by a straight ball from Brett Lee as an illustration from the match.
Even for an Australian supporter like me - but not when Australia plays Sri Lanka and India - it is difficult to tolerate the attitude of the Australian media and worse, Australians are bad losers. Of all the centurions in this particular series, the best innings was that of Kumar Sangakkara. He also showed what a gracious person he is by greeting the umpire who made that terrible decision against him with his arm around his shoulder after the game.
Hardly any Australian would have been that gracious.
![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2007/11/sangakkaras-dismissal-stupid-decision.html&media=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_otWn2PlEOdY/R0Oy2E4-OCI/AAAAAAAAC9w/ZOgxuUgvK9A/s72-c/P1010654.jpg&description="No umpire in his right frame and alertness would have missed the fact that the ball touched his shoulders and then the helmet before R...){kind=link}
Post a Comment