'Umpire Davis drunk on eve of Durban Test'

After the loss at Durban, which allowed India to level the three-Test series, South Africa have alleged that umpire Steve Davis was spotted in an inebriated state on the eve of the Test and are considering lodging a complaint against him.

After the loss at Durban, which allowed India to level the three-Test series, South Africa have alleged that umpire Steve Davis was spotted in an inebriated state on the eve of the Test and are considering lodging a complaint against him.

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Davis and Asad Rauf, the other umpire, had erred on many occasions during the Test.

The Proteas claimed they saw the 58-year-old Aussie "in a drunken condition" at the Umhlanga hotel where the teams and match officials were put up during the Test.

However, Cricket South Africa spokesman, Michael Owen Smith told the Hindustan Times on Thursday, "The reports are baseless. We are not thinking about complaining."

'Beeld', an Afrikaans daily, claimed in a report that Davis was seen, by team sources, in a bar over the past week. He was also seen stumbling into his hotel in the early hours during the Centurion Test.

Team manager, Mohammed Moosajee, referred the paper's query to Vincent van der Bijl, head of ICC referees' panel, who said he was aware of the allegations but declined to comment on whether Davis would face action.