|
|
|
| April 20, 2003 | Sunday | Safar 17, 1424 |
Dubious umpiring slows Australia
PORT-OF-SPAIN (Trinidad), April 19: West Indies fast bowler Mervyn Dillon claimed two controversial wickets in successive overs to slow Australia after the visitors had made a brisk start to the second Test on Saturday.
Sri Lankan umpire Asoke de Silva, already under fire for his performance in the first Test, was at the centre of attention again as he awarded lbw decisions against opening pair Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden, both of whom appeared unlucky to be dismissed.
By lunch, Australia had made 113 for two off 26 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat on a dry, bare pitch.
Langer, who scored a century and half century in the first Test, had made a quick 25 when he fell victim to a full length Dillon delivery which stayed low.
De Silva had a long, hard look before raising his finger but television replays suggested the ball pitched outside the line of leg stump.
In Dillon’s next over, Hayden, having made 30, was struck on the pad by another delivery which appeared to pitch outside the leg stump.
De Silva raised his finger again and Hayden, shaking his head disapprovingly, headed back to the pavilion with television replays suggesting he had been hard done by.
The wickets came at a good time for West Indies, who are without batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and are fielding debutants Carlton Baugh and Dave Bernard in one of their youngest-ever Test teams.
Australia, who won the first Test by nine wickets with a day to spare, wasted no time in building up their score with the help of a fast outfield.
Pedro Collins was punished for some erratic bowling, with Langer hitting him for four boundaries in the same over.
Langer began by hitting the first ball through mid-wicket, then cut the next two between third slip and gully. Finally, he drove the fifth delivery of the same over through the covers for another four.
After Langer and Hayden were out, Ricky Ponting and Darren Lehmann began to pick up the pace again and were unbeaten on 24 and 32 respectively at lunch.
Lehmann was lucky to survive a run-out after Ponting went for a quick run, Dillon moved quickly at mid-off but missed the target with his throw.
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):
J.L. Langer lbw b Dillon 25
M.L. Hayden lbw b Dillon 30
R.T. Ponting not out 24
D.S. Lehmann not out 32
EXTRAS (NB-2) 2
TOTAL (for two wkts, 26 overs) 113
FALL OF WKTS: 1-49, 2-56.
BOWLING: Dillon 8-1-25-2 (1nb); Collins 12-1-50-0; Drakes 4-0-26-0 (1nb); Samuels 2-0-12-0.
TO BAT: S.R. Waugh, A.C. Gilchrist, G.B. Hogg, A.J. Bichel, B. Lee, J.N. Gillespie, S.C.G. MacGill.
WEST INDIES: W.W. Hinds, D.S. Smith, D. Ganga, R.R. Sarwan, B.C. Lara, M.N. Samuels, D.E. Bernard, C.S. Baugh, V.C. Drakes, M. Dillon, P.T. Collins.
UMPIRES: E.A.R. de Silva (Sri Lanka) and R.E. Koertzen (South Africa).
TV UMPIRE: B. Doctrove (West Indies).
MATCH REFEREE: M.J. Procter (South Africa).—Reuters
|
|
|
|
