The Sydney Saga - Part I
So we all know what happened in Sydney. Everyone's talking about it, and everyone's writing about it. And as the dust settles on that tremendously sordid tale of racist slurs, bad umpiring, and unsportsmanly behavior, i can only help but think of a handful of really significant outcomes.
For one, if anyone ever doubted how political cricket has become, and how much power the subcontinent really wields, the drama that followed the Sydney test match would put to an end all such speculation. The BCCI, (along with the PCB) at the moment, is pretty much the undisputed overlord and bully(?) of the cricketing world. Their team isn't nearly the best but they certainly do call the shots. The ICC is now a mere puppet in the hands of the subcontinent, who unabashedly flex their financial muscle to get their way. A certain Mr. Darell Hair would i'm sure, concur.
In some ways, the Indian cricket board can be compared to the United States of the cricketing fraternity. They may have a point when they cry foul, but everyone knows that the primary reason why the spineless and mercenary ICC so easily succumbed to their demands is that they contribute significantly in terms of money. The result being, that an old and respected umpire in the twilight of his career, who had nothing more than a bad day at the office, now has a tarnished reputation, not to mention being unceremoniously relieved of his job for the rest of the series. I for one, think that someone who's contributed so significantly to the game (officiating in four world cup finals is certainly no mean feat) and has so far had an unblemished record must at least be treated with a little more respect.
All said and done, Steve Bucknor's removal was in all probability nothing more than a workaround solution to the rising temperatures off the field. The real outcome hopefully will be a stronger lobby for the use of technology to make the umpire's job a little bit easier, and to appease viewers. How ridiculous is it that the average television viewer, with the help of fancy camera angles can be a better judge of decisions than the man standing out there in the middle, and yet the use technology has not been extended to overruling human errors made by the umpire.
I really wouldn't want to be in Billy Bowden's shoes right about now.
For one, if anyone ever doubted how political cricket has become, and how much power the subcontinent really wields, the drama that followed the Sydney test match would put to an end all such speculation. The BCCI, (along with the PCB) at the moment, is pretty much the undisputed overlord and bully(?) of the cricketing world. Their team isn't nearly the best but they certainly do call the shots. The ICC is now a mere puppet in the hands of the subcontinent, who unabashedly flex their financial muscle to get their way. A certain Mr. Darell Hair would i'm sure, concur.
In some ways, the Indian cricket board can be compared to the United States of the cricketing fraternity. They may have a point when they cry foul, but everyone knows that the primary reason why the spineless and mercenary ICC so easily succumbed to their demands is that they contribute significantly in terms of money. The result being, that an old and respected umpire in the twilight of his career, who had nothing more than a bad day at the office, now has a tarnished reputation, not to mention being unceremoniously relieved of his job for the rest of the series. I for one, think that someone who's contributed so significantly to the game (officiating in four world cup finals is certainly no mean feat) and has so far had an unblemished record must at least be treated with a little more respect.
All said and done, Steve Bucknor's removal was in all probability nothing more than a workaround solution to the rising temperatures off the field. The real outcome hopefully will be a stronger lobby for the use of technology to make the umpire's job a little bit easier, and to appease viewers. How ridiculous is it that the average television viewer, with the help of fancy camera angles can be a better judge of decisions than the man standing out there in the middle, and yet the use technology has not been extended to overruling human errors made by the umpire.
I really wouldn't want to be in Billy Bowden's shoes right about now.
Comments
this is one point we disagree... and disagreement is so apparent that I was forced to comment!!!
first you need to get your facts right. We are the richest board and literally can force ICC to make it compulsary to give us 3 innings in a test.But on the contrary Sub continent team are treated aS STEP-BROTHERS.
AND HOW IS THAT ALL THE BUCKNOR DECISION WERE AGAINST INDIA. And why is that Indiais almost always at the recieving end of all the Bucknor decision. And why is that every team that tours Australia has some or the other problemj with the quality of the umpiring while playing against Australia. Plz visit India.targetgenx.com for a more lively discussion.
PS: comment over here should not be taken personally by the Author AND/or ANYBODY ELSE