Grendel
31 Dec 2001, 08:00
I was amazed to hear how well some media types thouht the umpires did (more so Nicholls) after the M.C.G test. Only really one bad call but how bad a call was it on terms of the result of the game.
Kallis has shown himself to be a class above his the rest of the S.A bats. He ran himself out in the 2nd going for the century. In the first innings after being dropped twice early he settled and was playing what looked a likely big score. Mckenzie at the other end looked comfortable being in support and they looked to be costing towards a 350-400 at least score.
One terrible decision ruined it personally for Kallis, yet how badly did it affect the S.Africans as a whole? There goes a decent enough start, gives the impetus to the Australians (more so with Boucher going next ball) to 'lift' and virtually made the game unwinable from the S.African side of things. From that moment on the best they could play for was a draw. The entire test turned on one crucial wicket. Crickets been like that for an age, to then say the umpiring was pretty good for the match...?
All this talk of an elite panel of umpires sounds good, yet so far this season alone. N.Zealand was cheated out of a series win (Waugh out, Gillespie out) in Perth. The Aussie crowing is ringing a little hollow to me about 'World Champions' this summer. They probably are the best going around. Be nice to see them acknowledge somewhere they are getting the 'rub of the green' along the way (at least so far) to further the cause.
As for Kallis, watch out Tendulkar/Lara this bloke looks to be eyeing the spot of best bat on the planet.
Kallis has shown himself to be a class above his the rest of the S.A bats. He ran himself out in the 2nd going for the century. In the first innings after being dropped twice early he settled and was playing what looked a likely big score. Mckenzie at the other end looked comfortable being in support and they looked to be costing towards a 350-400 at least score.
One terrible decision ruined it personally for Kallis, yet how badly did it affect the S.Africans as a whole? There goes a decent enough start, gives the impetus to the Australians (more so with Boucher going next ball) to 'lift' and virtually made the game unwinable from the S.African side of things. From that moment on the best they could play for was a draw. The entire test turned on one crucial wicket. Crickets been like that for an age, to then say the umpiring was pretty good for the match...?
All this talk of an elite panel of umpires sounds good, yet so far this season alone. N.Zealand was cheated out of a series win (Waugh out, Gillespie out) in Perth. The Aussie crowing is ringing a little hollow to me about 'World Champions' this summer. They probably are the best going around. Be nice to see them acknowledge somewhere they are getting the 'rub of the green' along the way (at least so far) to further the cause.
As for Kallis, watch out Tendulkar/Lara this bloke looks to be eyeing the spot of best bat on the planet.