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Sangakkara robbed of history as Aussies win
Wednesday, 21 November 2007 - 7:32 AM SL Time
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Rudi Koertzen, one of most senior umpires in the elite panel of world cricket, brought justice in the game to zero level making a mess of the end of the second and final cricket Test which gave Australia a 93-run win over Sri Lanka here at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart yesterday.
With Sri Lanka destined more to lose than win at 364 for 8, Koertzen, a South African, barged into the picture to upstage the day as he ruled a history-seeking Kumar Sangakkara out caught by Ricky Ponting in the slips to a ball that hit the batsman on the arm and helmet.
As a dejected Sangakkara walked away, Koetzen`s integrity and Ponting gamesmanship came into inevitable questioning. It brought into focus the inability of batsmen to seek justice from the men who are supposed to safeguard the rules of fair-play but instead made sacred cows by the International Cricket Council with nothing more to learn.
Yesterday Koertzen became a public relations nightmare to the keepers of the game, a disgrace to the ICC that pays him and shields him from public and player scrutiny. How the ICC will take up the matter is left to be seen but Koertzen is next listed to take care of Sri Lanka`s home Test series against England in December and one can only imagine the hostile reception that may await him in a country that adores its cricketers and follows the game so passionately.
Koertzen apologized to Sangakkara after the game but justice took a beating.
The pundits would argue that Sangakkara may not have reached a figure of 192 had he not made some lusty hitting when all seemed lost after the top and middle order batting was wiped out. But here was a man abandoned by the rest of his team-mates and with only his name to uphold and a personal milestone to be reached.
In comes Koertzen, raises his finger and rules out Sangakkara who was eight runs short of becoming the first double centurion against Australia and possibly becoming the holder of the highest individual score in the series which stands at 219 made by Michael Slater at Brisbane in 1989.
Rival skipper Ponting may be the best player in the world but his record of disputing umpiring decisions is well witnessed and documented. Had he been in Sangakkara`s shoes, it would have been dreadful to imagine how he would have reacted.
But the way he reacted as a fielder when he grabbed the ball that lobbed off Sangakkara`s arm and helmet, was atrocious for a man leading a team of crack world acclaimed players. There was no decency but a no-show for Australian cricket to see the host country rob Sangakkara of a feat worth waiting for.
Like most players do, Ponting defended his `catch`. `We all reacted on two noises like gloves and bat. These things happen on the field. There were a couple of noises, we went up and it was upheld (by the umpire)`, said Ponting who of course delighted in endorsing Sangakkara`s innings as `the best you`ll ever see`.
Scoreboard
Australia 1st innings 542 for 5 declared (P. Jaques 150, M. Hussey 132, M.
Clarke 71 D. Fernando 2-134)
Sri Lanka 1st innings 246 (M. Jayawardene 104, K. Sangakkara 57 B. Lee 4-82)
Australia 2nd innings 210 for 2 declared (P. Jaques 68, R. Ponting 53 not out )
Sri Lanka 2nd innings (247 for 3 overnight)
M. Atapattu c Jaques b Lee 80
M. Vandort c sub (Lockyer) b Johnson 4
K. Sangakkara c Ponting b Clark 192
M. Jayawardene b Lee 0
S. Jayasuriya c Gilchrist b Lee 45
C. Silva c Ponting b Johnson 0
P. Jayawardene lbw b Johnson 0
F. Maharoof c Lee b MacGill 4
D. Fernando run out (sub Lockyer) 2
L. Malinga not out 42
M. Muralitharan not out 15
Extras (b1, lb6, nb13, w6) 26
Total (all out, 104.3 overs) 410
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Vandort), 2-158 (Atapattu), 3-158 (M. Jayawardene), 4-265 (Jayasuriya), 5-272 (Silva), 6-272 (P. Jayawardene), 7-284 (Maharoof), 8- 290 (Fernando), 9-364 (Sangakkara), 10-410 (Muralitharan)
Bowling: Lee 26.3-3-87-4 (5w 4nb), Johnson 28-4-101-3 (1w 1nb), Clark 24-5-103-1 (4nb), MacGill 20-1-102-1 (4nb), Clarke 6-1-10-0
Australia won by 96 runs
Australia won series 2-0
Man-of-the-match: Brett Lee (AUS)
Man-of-the-series: Brett Lee (AUS)
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felixsrilanka
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7
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 21 Nov 2007 02:14:32 GMT Report for Abuse
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What will the ICC do ? Aussies are good actors when they try to fool umpires... If this happened against Australia THEY WOULD BE SCREAMING.
I bet our cricket Board has NO GUTS to submit an official complain.
HATS OFF TO SANGAKKARA FOR BEING A GREAT SPORTSMAN .
THANK YOU KUMAR ....YOU ARE A GREAT HUMAN BEING. |
Damed
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1589
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 21 Nov 2007 02:47:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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Underline World best Teams Qualities.
Highlights Arjuna's comments on Aussies. |
tamilcanuck
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 13177
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 21 Nov 2007 03:02:47 GMT Report for Abuse
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| If sangakkara wasnt given out at a CRUCIAL juncture (he wasnt out and rudi apologized later! of the game maybe history mightve been created. |
Lion5Den
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 342
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 21 Nov 2007 06:29:41 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ponting was a disgrace in appealing for that catch - even from his fielding position it was clear that by the time the ball hit sanga he had already finished his shot (he played way too early) and the bat was on the other side of his body!
and this is the guy who laments that batsmen should accept the word of fielders for catches! why would any sane batsman agree to this with australia when they blatantly appeal when they clearly know its not out. BTW - contrast this with Chamara Silva in the first test where he stopped a ball at short fine leg and indicated straighaway that it was not out. Even the TV commentators thought he had caught and it took multiple slow-mo replays to confirm that it was not a catch.
Hats off to Sanga though - he showed why he is world class - not just in his ability as a batsman but also as as a true sportsman and cricketer upholding the spirit of the game. |
Kusum
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 185
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21 Nov 2007 06:48:41 GMT Report for Abuse
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Sangakkara is one of the Best Cricketers in the world.
He would have hit another 80 or 90 easily if he had not been wrongly given out. Sri Lanka would have won that match becuase Malinga would have done the rest.
Why didn't the third umpire interfere to stop the unjustice?
Edited By - Kusum - 21 Nov 2007 06:50:30 GMT |
samanj
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1810
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 21 Nov 2007 06:59:31 GMT Report for Abuse
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Tamilcanuck: You have been scrutinising SL cricket for a very long time.
Did you watch the proceedings and if so, going by performance of Kumar and the manner in which he tackled the OZ bowling, Is it that your opinion SL would have made it?
Unfortunately, Kumar was not even considered for the MOM award. |
gchula99
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 227
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21 Nov 2007 07:29:19 GMT Report for Abuse
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In a way is good to be out in this manner.Otherwise it would have been a disastrous future for Sri Lankan cricket.
This is not the first or the last event where wrong judgment given in cricket but for us this a good excuse to hang on.
Qualities of good sportsmanship includes respect the judges and prepare and perform well in coming events.
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zaharan
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1487
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 21 Nov 2007 07:54:11 GMT Report for Abuse
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That was a brilliant knock under the circumstances had our middle order bats contributed who knows our boys could have made history!
Bad decisions are part and parcel of the game, all credit to Sangakkara for taking the long walk back to the pavilion in the right spirit.
Edited By - zaharan - 21 Nov 2007 07:55:31 GMT |
blackey
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 205
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 21 Nov 2007 09:27:55 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Well done kumar - you played very well - to be fair aussies were too strong esp in the batting stakes. Our bowlers were very poor sadly, |
Bonggo
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 8473
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21 Nov 2007 13:24:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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It was a brilliant Sangakkara who managed to restore image of 'attacking Sri Lankan.'
Ponting is a great cricketer no doubt but Steve Waugh is way above him. |
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