Friday, Dec 12, 2003
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Cricket
By Ted Corbett
Michael Vaughan made his third fifty as captain in a style that verged on the majestic, Marcus Trescothick hit a series of thunderous shots in 36 and, of course, we have seen over after over of Muttiah Muralitharan magic. Early in the day Sri Lanka's young fast bowler Dinusha Fernando made a fifty in his second Test, that suggested that by the time he has played 22 Tests he may be an all-rounder, and helped Sri Lanka reach 382. You might think that a pretty good day at the Test. But — and in this series there is always going to be a but — this game is much more likely to be remembered for yet another umpiring misadventure. Muralitharan attempted to cut a ball from Ashley Giles which spun on to his stumps and dislodged both bails. Aleem Dar, the bowler's umpire, was unsure whether the ball had rebounded off the `keeper's gloves and asked the square leg umpire Daryl Harper who ruled Murali not out. The words had hardly left his mouth when television screens around the ground showed that Murali had been bowled and Harper, who had not given a decision of any sort to that point after his miserable performance on Wednesday, was forced to ask the third umpire to decide, urged on by the England fielders. He promptly gave Murali out but the trouble we anticipated came when Murali was sworn at and the incident reported to the match referee Clive Lloyd. He had warned both coaches about their men's behaviour before the day's play. At about the same time voices from the crowd were screaming "you're a disgrace, Harper". The regulations for this series encouraged umpires to "use a commonsense approach" with decisions of this type. They also warn fielders that it is a disciplinary offence to ask the umpire to go to a replay. Almost as pertinent to my mind is the sight of Murali staring at the stumps as the bails flew off. He must have known he was out and should simply have headed for the pavilion. So to some extent the anger of the England fielder is understandable. Meanwhile, an hour after the day's play ended, Nasser Hussain appeared before Lloyd charged with the shouting abuse at Muralitharan as he walked out to bat but Lloyd found the charge not proven. In the midst of all the controversy over decisions it is good to be able to report that the Pakistani umpire has remained cool, detached and correct. England was impressed with his work in Bangladesh and in this Test he has been on the ball too. I don't see any point in adding to the miseries of Harper who needs a long rest but now that umpires are properly paid, ICC must expect a high standard. It's time to forget the old clichés about what a difficult job they have and find more ways to make it easier. Sri Lanka resumed at 277 for seven and soon lost its captain Hashan Tillekeratne with only one run added. Fernando was at ease from the start although he was hit around the neck by a short ball from Andrew Flintoff and added 72 for the ninth wicket with Kumara Dharmasena. Murali had time to hit 19 — that is 70 in three innings in this series and 24 more than Tillekeratne, for instance — before his final provocative stroke. Some experts thought England would romp past the Sri Lanka score and set up an easy victory and when Vaughan, playing better than at any time this year, and Trescothick, less convincingly put on 89 in 18 overs with a series of sumptuous strokes, England seemed to be on its way. Instead Trescothick was brilliantly caught just before tea and Mark Butcher violently stumped at 100. Vaughan was almost stumped and then caught at slip and Nasser Hussain was leg before to Chaminda Vaas, both at 119. On a pitch bursting with runs - and, according to a rumour that swept the ground before play, bursting with white ants - Graham Thorpe and Paul Collingwood nudged the score to 163 for four, which leaves plenty of room for trouble tomorrow if the rains hold off. SCOREBOARD
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