News

Indian board for curtailment of umpires' power

With plenty of speculation and criticism doing the rounds following The Oval row, the Indian board has vowed to support any moves to dilute the powers of the umpires

Cricinfo staff
31-Aug-2006


The Indian board has favoured limiting umpires' jurisdiction © Getty Images
Following The Oval row, the Indian board has decided to support moves to dilute the powers of the umpires. Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, affirmed that the power of international umpires should be curtailed following the forfeited Test.
"For the sake of spectators, television viewers and the game's sponsors, no match should be called off and certainly not by the umpires," Shah told reporters. "Any decision to forfeit a Test should be made by the match referee or the International Cricket Council (ICC)."
Shah was of the opinion that any umpire or team refusing to play without "sufficient reason" should be penalised heavily. "An umpire who abandons play without sufficient reason should be sacked," he said. "Similarly, teams walking off and forfeiting matches should be penalised and made to pay heavy damages. Unless there are unforeseen circumstances like bad weather or riots, it is the right of spectators and sponsors to see the match go on."
The Indian board will await a ruling on Darrell Hair, the Australian umpire at the centre of the controversy, by Ranjan Madugalle, the Sri Lankan match referee, before taking a stand over Hair's future. The Pakistan and Sri Lankan board have called for Hair's removal from the ICC's Elite Panel.
Hair, meanwhile, received support from Dennis Lillee, the Australian legend, who felt players must respect the umpire's decision. "Whether you like it or not, you have to abide by the umpire's ruling," he said."I was always taught to accept the umpire's verdict. The authorities should back the umpires."