Umpiring Blunder

Hi guys,
Been thinking of starting a blog for quite sometime, so what better thing to start than the great work the umpires are doing down under.

As you all might be knowing, India lost the 2nd test to Australia.
If only the Indians could hold in just an over longer, the match could've been drawn. But had it not been for the great umpires, 'Steve Bucknor' & 'Mark Benson' India would not only have saved the match, but posibly win it too.

It all started from the first day itself:
1. Australia were 45 for 2 in the 14th over, when Ponting nicked a widish ball off Ganguly. Dhoni, caught it & whole indian team went up in unision. But umpire Mark Bension thought it nicked the pad, when the bat was nowhere near the pad. Ponting went on to make 55, before he was trapped lbw by Bhajji. This time Punter was on the receiving end as there was a thick inside edge. Anyways things were levelled. Superb bowling followed & Oz were reduced 134 for 6.

2. In the 47th over, Symonds edged an Ishant Sharma ball to Dhoni, but bucknor was too busy checking whether Sharma was overstepping, that he couldn't notice the nick.

3. Symonds played on & at 240/6 in the 56th over, Dhoni knocked off the bails when Kumble smartly forced Symonds forward. This time the third umpire, Bruce Oxenford, was referred. He ruled Symonds not out, when replays indicated his feet was in the air.

DAY 2
4. Symonds gets a 3rd life, when Bucknor declared him not out without referring to the man upstairs, when Dhoni stumped him off Bhajji. Symonds went on to make 162* while Australia were bowled out for 463.

5. India's bad luck continued as Wasim Jaffer is given out caught on a NO-Ball. India lose their 1st wicket in the 7th over for 8. India were saved from the blushes by Laxman & Dravid, who scored his 50th fifty, while the former scoring his 3rd consecutive ton at the SCG.


DAY 3
It was definitely India's day, with Sachin breaking the Jinx with his 38th ton & the umpires making no mistakes, India posted a mammoth 532.


DAY 4
Australians showed their ugly faces, playing mind games with Bhajji, accusing him of passing racist remarks on Symonds.


DAY 5
Australians set India a target of 333. India lose Jaffer for a duck. Centurrions in the 1st innings, Laxman & Tendulkar, couldn't quite get going & followed Jaffer to the pavillion. Just when Dravid & Ganguly looked as if they would lead India to a win, Bucknor showed his great umpiring, when he declared Dravid caught behind off Symonds when replays clearly showed the ball brushing the pads. But even more surprising was that Gilchrist, who is known for his sportsmanspirit, saw clearly what happened & still appealed. Dravid was dumbfounded on the descision as he walked away thinking how much more do they have to suffer.

Yuvraj walked into the crease. To be very frank, i thought he would play a great innings at least for DEEPIKA PADUKONE was cheering for him in the stands, if not for anyone else. But i think he was too busy noticing Deepika, he didn't notice the ball & he nicked one off Symonds to Gilchrist & walked back for a duck.

Then the Aussies showed their desperation to win. A Brad Hogg ball hit Dhoni's pads & rose in the air. Ponting dived splendidly & caught the ball only to rub it on the ground. Still he appealed for the catch, fortunately for India, the umpire didn't budge.
Then comes the stunner, Clarke catches Ganguly off Lee & the Australians rise in celebration. Ganguly doesn't move as he thinks the ball hit the ground first. Umpire Benson, not sure himself, doesn't ask Bucknor nor does he ask the Third Umpire, but asks Ponting instead & declares Ganguly out. India in deep trouble. The tail falls one by one with the captain standing at the other end at 45* as India lose by 122 runs, thanks to a few mistakes by the Indians & largely due to the umpires.


Hope you guys like my blog. I'm not that great a writer, but if you do like my blog also try out my friend's blog http://adijoe.blogspot.com

Thanks.

Regards,
Rahul