***Official*** Pakistan in England

[Langeveldt]

Let me paraphrase Mike Atherthon: "The decision Hair made in the context of things was wrong. We have upwards of 26 cameras and we don't miss much"

Interesting, as Atherton found out, they don't miss much

 

[open365]

Ramiz Raja is talking complete hog wash.

 

[no1_gangsta_786]

More from Khan - "We felt we should make a protest, but we were ready to come out after a few minutes."

Source: BBC TMS

 

[Dravid]

No one in the ground knew what was going on. Why wasnt there an announcement? So many spectators left the ground

 

[Isolator]

I have to say that the Pakistanis have forfeited the moral high ground here. Their grievance may be genuine, but it isn't fair to the crowd or the spirit of the game to attempt to ride roughshod over the umpires. Hair may be wrong (I'll go so far as to say he is), but their actions are nothing short of outrageous, worse because it's calculated & not in the heat of the moment.

What would you have them do? Their position, I assume, is that they've been falsely accused of cheating, by one or both umpires. Do you expect them to come back and play, with the same umpire/s, without any sort of acknowledgement of a screw-up and without any sort of apology?

This of course is assuming the umpire/s' accusation is baseless.

 

[Isolator]

Ramiz Raja is talking complete hog wash.

Yeah, really made a fool of himself.

 

[chalky]

I think Darrel Hair has just flicked the bails off his career

Yes unfortunately back to the Sheffield Shield for Darrel. A shame really I think Hair is really the only Umpire left who wants to make all decisions on field on the basis of cricketing law rather than have decisions made off the field through political negotiation.

 

[silentstriker]

Meanwhile, Mike Atherton's opinions on Sky are scathing of Darrell Hair, saying his decision lacks any historical context and that they lacked common sense. "It's bound to inflame things. It would have been best to leave it to the end of the day. He's not a man to back down. He's a stubborn character, a strong character.. so even though Pakistan said they were willing to come back out [after the bails removal/apparent forfeiture] you could imagine him sitting in the dressing room refusing to come out."

 

[silentstriker]

Yes unfortunately back to the Sheffield Shield for Darrel. A shame really I think Hair is really the only Umpire left who wants to make all decisions on field on the basis of cricketing law rather than have decisions made off the field through political negotiation.

Sucks that the biggest disgrace in the history of umpiring will no longer be allowed to umpire.

 

[Langeveldt]

Is Rikki at the Oval today?

 

[no1_gangsta_786]

"We feel that there is no evidence whatsoever of deliberate scuffing of the ball." Shaharyar Khan

Source: BBC TMS

 

[Langeveldt]

Sucks that the biggest disgrace in the history of umpiring will no longer be allowed to umpire.

Hair > BC Cooray and A de Silva

 

[Fusion]

PCB Chairman being interviewed right now. Says we're ready to play but the umpires are not.

 

[silentstriker]

Hair > BC Cooray and A de Silva

Hair >Cronje, and thats about all.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Yes unfortunately back to the Sheffield Shield for Darrel. A shame really I think Hair is really the only Umpire left who wants to make all decisions on field on the basis of cricketing law rather than have decisions made off the field through political negotiation.

Well...if we want to believe this: "No individual has been accused, by the way; Cricinfo have been told by sources inside the Pakistan camp."

Then his decision isn't made by the basis of the law, which says that the umpire must observe a fielder damaging the ball to actually punish the fielding team. If he saw that, surely Hair would be the man to accuse someone?

 

[chalky]

Hair > BC Cooray and A de Silva

Don't forget Javed Ackthar, Merv Kitchen, Darrel Harper and the West Indian who gave Rob Bailey out cought of thigh pad a few years ago.

 

[marc71178]

Bails off. That's it. England may have just won.

If it is awarded in this fashion then it's the second strange ending in 2 Oval Tests.

 

[Fusion]

PCB Chairman also says they were going to show protest by taking the field late. They were ready to come out, but the umpires stopped play.

 

[chalky]

Well...if we want to believe this: "No individual has been accused, by the way; Cricinfo have been told by sources inside the Pakistan camp."

Then his decision isn't made by the basis of the law, which says that the umpire must observe a fielder damaging the ball to actually punish the fielding team. If he saw that, surely Hair would be the man to accuse someone?

Thinking more in terms of not coming out to play and forfeiting the game.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Can't believe all the people here defending Pakistan's behaviour. Obviously they were accused of cheating and weren't happy about that, and fair enough (assuming they didn't actually cheat, of course), but it's completely inappropriate to refuse to come out because you disagree with the decision of an umpire. As others have said, it's effectively holding the game to ransom, and nothing good is ever going to come of it.

The umpire's decision should be respected throughout the course of the match. If there is a grievance, take it up with the relevant authorities afterwards. Forfeiting because you don't agree with a decision is poor form, and changing your mind about it afterwards and trying to come out to play anyway it just stupid.