May 05, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 17, 1428

KARACHI, May 4: Players were not the only individuals tired and bored of the long-drawn World Cup, the umpires were left equally exhausted by the tournament’s length, says Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar.

Aleem Dar, who stood in the final of the mega-event which ended last week, felt the World Cup was pretty well-organised but was too long.

“It was a bit too long and in the end tired out the players and the umpires. I think the World Cup should be of shorter duration,” Dar, a prominent umpire of the ICC Elite Panel, opined.

Dar and fellow umpire Steve Bucknor were at the centre of a rain-affected chaotic final which saw Australia clinch their third successive title in near-darkness at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown.

Dar defended himself saying the confusion did not occur because of the on-field officials (umpires).

“I think there was a communication breakdown and we acted on the instructions from outside. But the feeling was that the match had to be completed on the reserve day but the (Australia and Sri Lanka) captains told us this is the rule,” he clarified.

Defending his fellow umpires and the officials, Dar said they were also human beings and could make mistakes.

“At times mistakes do happen. The ICC and the match officials have done the right thing by apologising for the mistake made in the final,” Dar, who has supervised 37 Tests and 88 ODIs, said.—Agencies