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It’s ‘time’, warns ICC
Match referee Jeff Crowe’s banning India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for two one-dayers straightaway for slow overrate on Saturday could seem a bit too harsh to most Indian fans. But then, it seems ICC means business when the issue is duration, reports Nilankur Das.
When International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Javagal Srinath banned England captain Paul Collingwood for four matches for slow overrate in June last year, there were clear signs that the sport’s world governing body was going to be very strict with time management. That was the second time in 12 months that Collingwood had failed Code 2.11 on the ICC Code of Conduct list.
Match referee Jeff Crowe’s banning India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for two one-dayers straightaway for slow overrate on Saturday could seem a bit too harsh to most Indian fans.
But then, it seems ICC means business when the issue is duration.
“The rules are simple. If a team is short by more than three overs, it’s a serious overrate offence and you get two suspension points for that from immediate effect. Now that India are playing a one-day series, it straightaway means a two-match ban,” Crowe told HT at the Mumbai airport on Saturday. The team was also fined 40 per cent of match fee.
A limited-over match getting stretched could be great for the broadcasters who can keep inserting more advertisements during unscheduled breaks, but then it becomes difficult for the boards and the ICC to estimate a price while selling the rights. Economics can go for a toss if getting away with very little punishment induces teams to make the delays a practise.
On-field discussions every now and then among Dhoni and senior players between deliveries during Sri Lanka’s successful chase in the second ODI stretched the match to over 40 minutes and it generally takes 4 to 4.5 minutes to bowl an over.
Gambhir cleared
“The umpires had reported slow overrate and dissent shown on the field by Gautam Gambhir. He (Gambhir) too was called to a hearing,” Crowe said. Gambhir had thrown his bat down after colliding with Chanaka Welegedara while attempting a single and was run out.
“The match referee has heard Gambhir and he was let off,” N. Srinivasan, the secretary of the BCCI in India, told HT.
Ishant, Dinesh in
In the absence of Dhoni, Virender Sehwag would lead the squad. This was decided after the selection committee met in Chennai to decide on the squad for the ODIs in Cuttack and Kolkata. Ishant Sharma came back in place of Sreesanth who is still not fully fit and Dinesh Karthik replaced Dhoni.
Mathews ruled out
Sri Lanka's injury crisis deepened when allrounder Angelo Mathews was ruled out of the remaining three ODIs with a quadricep muscle injury. Right-arm medium-pacer Thissara Perera joined as Mathews's replacement.
