Referrals: Should They Stay Or Should They Go?

Mark Benson is preparing to retire from umpiring after he returned home from the Adelaide test because of the controversial referral system, according to Cricinfo.

It is now high time the ICC made a decision about the future of the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS).

First pioneered a year ago, the system has come under constant criticism from players and umpires alike.

Ricky Ponting was the latest to vent his dismay at the UDRS during the current Test with the West Indies, when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was given not out, despite video evidence apparently supporting a dismissal. Ponting and bowler Doug Bollinger’s heated exchange with Benson is thought to be the chief reason for the English umpires walkout.

After a year of testing, the time has come to either integrate the UDRS permanently into all Test series or to scrap it and go back to the drawing board.

Not surprisingly, the notoriously idiotic big-wigs at the ICC are still dodging the issue.

If we have learnt one thing from the last year, it is that cricket has enough on its’ plate at the moment without having to worry about checking every decision with a bloke in the commentary box.

And where do 30-second breaks every couple of overs fit into the 100mph, rock-star slugfest that is Twenty20?

Replays have worked at international level for run-outs and, to a point, for catches. But the biggest problem with the UDRS is that it takes the professional game too far away from the grass-roots games being played on our parks every Saturday afternoon.

Football benefits dramatically from the fact that it is fundamentally the same game at Old Trafford as it is at the local recreation ground. Twenty-two players, two sets of goalposts, one referee, one ball.

The more changes you make, the wider the gap becomes between the pros and the amateurs.

Stop meddling ICC and lets get back to concentrating on bat vs ball.

Sehwag On the Verge of History

Virender Sehwag, the mercurial Indian batsman, stands on the verge of history today after playing the most brutal innings in Test history, on day two of the final Test with Sri Lanka.

Sehwag hammered 284 from just 239 balls and will become the first man to complete three Test triple-tons if he can find another 16 runs tomorrow, moving past Brian Lara and the great Don Bradman.

It will also most likely be the fastest triple in history, surpassing his own record of 278 balls against South Africa in 2008.

After struggling for consistency in the early part of his career, Sehwag has come of age, forming a key cog in the Indian Test side.

It can’t be easy playing in a side with greats of the game such as Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. But if he finds the 16 runs he needs tomorrow, his name will be etched into the history books as holder of a record that will take some beating.

Dilshan Proves He’s No Flash in the Pan

Another day, another hundred for Tilakaratne Dilshan.

The oft-quoted notion is that Sohail Tanvir, the unorthodox Pakistan seam bowler, was the first player to make a career out of Twenty20 cricket. But, while Tanvir has struggled to impress in other forms of the game, Dilshan has used his prowess in the shortest form to propel himself to the forefront of Sri Lankan cricket.

The creator of the crazy Dil-scoop (see video below), Dilshan has seen his career take an extraordinary turn in recent years and he continues to impress in all forms of the game.

Always a huge talent, Dilshan never delivered the consistency required to cut it at the top and found himself not only shifted around the batting order but also in-and-out of the team for long periods.

That was until this year. After being brought back to the side and promoted to open the innings early in 2009, the World Twenty20 in England provided the stage for Dilshan to blossom.

His Dil-scoop baffled, his hitting destroyed and his consistency impressed the selectors enough to give him a chance at the top of the order in all forms. And boy has he taken it.

Since the turn of the year he has hit more than 1000 runs in Test cricket at an average of almost 68, with six hundreds.

But, perhaps the most astonishing statistic of all is the rate at which he has scores his runs. A strike rate of 83.15 would have been scarcely believable only a few years ago.

Dilshan must now be considered one of the best – and most innovative – batsmen in world cricket. Having added substance to his style he represents the changing face of cricket.

With a top-score of 168 in Tests – and that was against lowly Bangladesh – all he needs to really confirm his status is a really big score against top-class opposition. One suspects it will not be long in coming.

Brad Hodge Announces He is to Retire

Aussie batsman Brad Hodge has decided to call time on his first-class cricket career after losing hope of a Test recall.

He told PA Sport today:

“I feel the time is right to step down from first-class cricket. It’s been a wonderful journey, which hopefully has more to go at limited-overs and Twenty20 level. I’ve loved every time I’ve pulled on the navy blue cap and it was a dream come true to swap it for a baggy green for the times I did. Playing Test cricket for Australia was an incredible experience and I feel proud and blessed to have had that opportunity. Hopefully this decision will allow me to continue playing good cricket and also spend more time with my young family.”

A wonderful batsman, if Hodge had been from any other country or been around at any time other than the past 10 years, when Australia were blessed with a plethora of world-class players, he could have been a real force in the Test game.

Hodge averages more than 55 from six Tests – including a double-hundred – but has found it difficult to hold down a place in the competitive Aussie middle-order.

Having plundered 17,000 first-class runs in Australia and England, Hodge, unfortunately, retires as the nearly man of Australian cricket.

Superb England Put the Frighteners on Proteas

England produced one of their finest one-day performances to hammer South Africa at Port Elizabeth today, and Jimmy Anderson provided the star turn once again.

Anderson had his finest hour in the blue of England as the tourists rolled Graeme Smith’s men over 119, their lowest ever total in ODIs in South Africa, before Jonathan Trott’s unbeaten half century saw England home by seven wickets.

The spearhead of England’s attack, Anderson has emerged as a world-beater over the past two years and must now be considered as one of the finest fast bowlers in the game. His efforts today, bowling a full length and extracting uneven bounce from a pitch with a St John’s pitch with a grassy top, were as good as anything Brett Lee or Dale Steyn have produced.

The defeat leaves South Africa with no chance of victory in the one-day series and puts them firmly on the back foot heading into the Test leg of the tour.

England, awful against Australia at the end of the summer, now look like a real force in ODI cricket. Trott has brought assurance to the top of the order and the return of Kevin Pietersen brings quality to the top order.

In Collingwood and Morgan, England have players in extraordinary form who bring balance to the side. And, in Tim Bresnan, they seem to have found a bowler who compliments the qualities of Anderson, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad.

Most importantly they have the edge in the series and have installed in South Africa something which is not easy to shake – fear.

Greatest Sporting Icon of the Decade: Have Your Say!

It’s time to decide who is the greatest sporting icon of the decade. Cast your vote below.

For a reminder of the contenders, click here

Sreesanth Back With a Bang, Bang

An enigma of the modern Test game, Sreesanth, the India quick, returned to form on day three of the second Test with Sri Lanka.

Struggles with injury, form and a spat with Harbhajan Singh – Harbhajan slapped him after an IPL game – seemed to have curtailed his progress.

But he hit back in style with five wickets, tearing through the Sri Lankan middle-order to put India in firm control.

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Highlights of the 2nd ODI: SA v Eng

Click here to watch highlights of the second ODI between South Africa and England, at Centurion.

Collingwood Enjoys Day in the Sun

Paul Collingwood played the innings of his England career as England eased to a seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the second ODI at Centurion yesterday.

Playing in a record 171st ODI, Collingwood stole the show for a well-drilled England side - who delivered a near-perfect performance to take a 1-0 lead in the series – hitting his fifth one-day hundred. He also picking-up two key wickets and claimed a magnificent catch in a true man-of-the-match effort.

Elsewhere, Jonathan Trott impressed once again, hitting 87 as opener and bowling seven overs of tight medium-pace. James Anderson, while a little expensive, picked-up three wickets and Eoin Morgan delivered another example of his prowess as a finisher with a brisk, unbeaten 27.

The only negatives for England were three uncharacteristic dropped catched from skipper Andrew Strauss and some unconvincing bowling from Adil Rashid and Sajid Mahmood.

Next up, the third ODI at Cape Town on Friday.

 

SA v Eng First ODI Preview: Weather Set to Ruin First ODI

England’s first ODI against South Africa at the Wanderers today (12.30pm GMT) seems destined to be ruined by the weather.

The outlook from BBC Weather looks pretty glum for Johannesburg.

James Anderson said on Twitter this morning:

 JimmyAnderson9 Raining again today. Not looking good for game later

If the teams do see some action, Kent spinner James Tredwell looks set to make his England debut, less than 24 hours after being drafted in as cover for the injured Graeme Swann.

Stuart Broad has also been ruled out for the first two ODIs so Tim Bresnan is likely to play.

Paul Collingwood is set to make his 171st ODI appearance, making him England’s most capped player in the format, surpassing Alec Stewart’s record.

England (possible): Strauss, Denly, Trott, Pietersen, Collingwood, Morgan, Prior, Wright, Bresnan, Tredwell, Anderson.

Best bet: Top England batsman – Paul Collingwood at 9/2 with www.Coral.co.uk