The Ashes

[brodiej]

A pointless media frenzy over absolutely nothing. Any time I heard a current or former pro talking about it, they said they'd have done the same.

Apart from these pros

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/657361.html

But what do thet know eh

 

[AndyRM]

Apart from these pros

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/657361.html

But what do thet know eh

That's about Khawaja today. Not Broad.

 

[AndyRM]

I think the problem is both sides have lost faith in the umpires who have lost faith in themselves.

Agreed.

 

[User482]

A pointless media frenzy over absolutely nothing. Any time I heard a current or former pro talking about it, they said they'd have done the same.

Anyway, I quite like the controversies, adds a bit of spice to the game. Certainly not going to have any sympathy for an Australian weeping into his tinny because of a dodgy decision.

The greatest passage of play I can remember was Mike Atherton vs Allan Donald, which came about because Atherton didn't walk after gloving it behind, and the umpire didn't give it.

Donald had Atherton in the next match lbw despite him getting an inside edge!

 

[brodiej]

Which is why I want to ditch the refreffal system and go back to the umpires going back to their (usually correct) gut instincts.

The current umpires are like rabbits in the headlights - guessing about appeals hoping the teams will review.

Hence the unedifying sight of Broad edging to slip and not walking and Khawaja missing by inches with nothing on hotspot or snicko and being given out

 

[thom]

Which is why I want to ditch the refreffal system and go back to the umpires going back to their (usually correct) gut instincts.

The current umpires are like rabbits in the headlights - guessing about appeals hoping the teams will review.

Hence the unedifying sight of Broad edging to slip and not walking and Khawaja missing by inches with nothing on hotspot or snicko and being given out

I don't disagree that there are issues with the referral system but it does not make sense to me that it should be ditched.
The ICB should improve this system and umpires should up their game in time. I don't want to go back to the days where technology wasn't used but people knew it could have helped make better decisions. The recent spate of issues gives learning opportunities - it is up to the ICB to ensure procedures are improved.

 

[swee'pea99]

Can anyone tell me why snicko isn't used in the referral system? I don't know that Khawaja missed 'by inches', but he definitely missed, as shown by hotspot, then confirmed beyond any possible doubt by snicko. No technology is infallible, but snicko is as close as it gets, surely, for all those did he/didn't he nick it decisions. So why don't they use it?

 

[brodiej]

I don't disagree that there are issues with the referral system but it does not make sense to me that it should be ditched.
The ICB should improve this system and umpires should up their game in time. I don't want to go back to the days where technology wasn't used but people knew it could have helped make better decisions. The recent spate of issues gives learning opportunities - it is up to the ICB to ensure procedures are improved.

Actually that's a good point thom

The referral system has never really caused that much controversy in the past.

I suppose the problem is the incompetence of the current 4 umpires we're saddled with for the 10 Ashes tests coming up as they're the only non-Aussie/English elite umpires.

The referral works OK with decent umpires.

Rather than throwing new technology at it and creating even more room for controversy it would be better to stick to hawkeye and have decent umpires that understand the concept of it

 

[swee'pea99]

Actually that's a good point thom

The referral system has never really caused that much controversy in the past.

I suppose the problem is the incompetence of the current 4 umpires we're saddled with for the 10 Ashes tests coming up as they're the only non-Aussie/English elite umpires.

The referral works OK with decent umpires.

Rather than throwing new technology at it and creating even more room for controversy it would be better to stick to hawkeye and have decent umpires that understand the concept of it

Hawkeye's fine for lbw, but lbw isn't the only potential source of contention. Tells you nothing about did it/didn't its. And what about did it carries?

 

[Durian]

Any sign of rain in Manchester?

 

[yello]

rain or Pietersen.

More chance of rain methinks.

But I do like to be proven wrong.

 

[Durian]

Pietersen will probably give his wicket away so I'm starting the rain dance.

 

[colly]

Leave it to the umpires, wrong calls or not.

Without TV super slow motion replays and millisecond by millisecond analysis we wouldn't be having these discussions anyway. Even at the almost microscopic enlargement of the action there is always going to a a point where it is a judgement call.

All sport is unpredictable, that's why we watch it.

 

[Durian]

Well played Pietersen. I'm off to my bed now and when I wake up tomorrow I'm hoping to see we avoided the follow on and Pietersen is moving towards a double hundred!

 

[yello]

I'll be extremely happy if England can make it to the close of play without loosing another wicket. I'm not so concerned about the score, nor of Pietersen's score. I just want him to play ultra safe until then, he must be tired and that's when mistakes happen. He needs to resist the urge to be impulsive. A good kip and then resume. But, credit to the bloke, well played today.