‘That’s a terrible decision’: Umpire Nigel Llong slammed for ‘absolute shocker’

Australia beat New Zealand by a comprehensive margin of 247 runs to win the second Test at Melbourne and the series on Sunday despite the fighting century from opener Tom Blundell. However, the match was not without its fair share of controversy and umpire Nigel Llong found himself in the line of fire, not for the first time in the Test match.

Blundell was hit on his thigh guard by a James Pattinson length delivery when he was on 90* and the Australians belted out an appeal in unison. Umpire Nigel Llong raised his finger to the dismay of the batsman who immediately referred it. DRS showed the ball to be sailing over the stumps and this came as a solace to the Kiwi opener.

However, former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum who was on air was not as kind and slammed the umpiring. “That’s a terrible, terrible decision - not for the first time this Test,” McCullum said on SEN.

 

A great review by Blundell.#AUSvNZ https://t.co/Q5Lvt45rWO pic.twitter.com/kcn4ouGkuv

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 29, 2019

“That’s going over the top by a foot.

“It’s closer to being over shoulder height than it was to hitting the stumps.”

Former Australian bowler Shane Warne too hit out at the umpire and even took a jibe at the Englishman. “Considering some of the ones Nigel Llong has given not out, it was pretty amazing he gave that out when it hit way above the pad,” he joked.

“It did slide but it was always a tad short,” commentator Michael Slater added.

“Certainly the crowd gave (Llong) a jeer.”

Blundell was last man out after he notched up a gritty 121 - his second Test century and his first for two years -- as New Zealand were dismissed for 240 with Trent Boult not batting after fracturing his hand in the first innings.