Indo-Pak Test Series: Umpires may get poor ratings (30 January 1999)

30 January 1999

Indo-Pak Test Series: Umpires may get poor ratings

By Our Special Representative

CHENNAI, Jan 29: New Zealand umpire Steve Dunne and local umpire V.K Ramaswamy are unlikely to get good scores by Pakistan captain Wasim Akram after both made judgmental errors in the first two day's play of the opening Test.

Akram refused to comment on the issue as he is bound by the International Cricket Council (ICC), but admitted that he would suggest the game's governing body to appoint two third country umpires in future Tests involving the two countries.

"We tried this last decade against the West Indies. So I believe that can be done again," Akram said.

The Pakistan captain believed that since the stakes were so high whenever Pakistan and India played, one wrong decision can have a huge bearing on the outcome of the Test and the series. "I am not being critical of the two umpires, but I think the suggestion is worth giving a consideration."

After every Test, the two captains submit their reports to the ICC in which they are supposed to give points to the umpires. Those points are added to the umpires scores on the basis of which he gets further postings.

After three wrong decisions on the first day, Dunne and Ramaswamy made errors on the second day again - this time both Pakistan and India being on the receiving ends.

Ramaswamy gave a controversial lbw decision against Venkatsai Laxman while Dunne adjudged Saurav Ganguly not out when he was at 25. Television replays confirmed that Ganguly had been caught by silly-point fielder Yousuf Youhana off Nadeem Khan after the ball had gone into the hands after rebounding from Ganguly's boot.

In the Test so far, seven batsmen have been given leg before.

Source :: Dawn (https://dawn.com/)