Prem is right absolutely. The actions of Steve Bucknor was below par in the sydney onedayer. It looks like he has some displeasure over the indians generally . Thats why. Look at channel 9 commentry team. They talk as though they (aussies) are the only one team play for the spirit of the game look at the list a drug cheat a match fixer (only assies believe that he gave weather info) a bowler who spits verbal abuse on the field a captain involved in pub brawl Good for spirit of the game indeed. People throuh stones from glass house
I completely agree with what had happened all these time about the Ganguly's fine, Dravid's fine and Umpire's follies.
Way back in 1996 World Cup in that quarter finals India Vs Pakistan in Bangalore. Aamir Sohail pointed out things to (Venkatesh) Prasad and the next ball Prasad asked Sohail to go out...Umpire took time to warn Prasad and not Sohail. Why so?
Like wise so many instances can be listed, ennumerated. Whats the use? Who is going to go through this article? Always i see that Indians are being dumped by many of the other teams and the ICC. Other teams even if they are going to be aggressive they will be let free. Is this article from Prem Panicker going to have any(slightest) effect on the ICC or any one around the world who can influence the ICC. No...no ...and not at all...
May be you can write all this for the sake of it...but i always feel that writing should make some sense atleast to some one and i would be one among to be happy if your writing makes some impact ....really... Mr. Panicker...
I spent a lot of time scouring through the internet looking for any report on the double standards being demonstrated when dealing with India. Once again, you and only you have had anything to say about this.
This shoddy treatment of Indian cricketers is getting more blatant with each passing incident. It is high time that the BCCI stops thinking only about money and get itself involved with the players morale and ensure that India is treated on an equal footing.
Steve Bucknor should retire gracefully before he is forced to. His umpiring may appear incompetent but his inconsistency seems to work against India more often than not which leads me to wonder if it is incompetency or something more serious.
India WERE playing AGAINST the spirit of the game by trying to let rain make an abandoned match by spending TOO MUCH time between deliveries. They knew that if 25 overs were bowled the match could not be abandoned and, if so, Australia would have KILLED THEM they way Gilchrist was batting (like a DEMI-GOD).
Don't let blind passion get in the way of the FACT that Ganguly was trying to make the rain defeat Australia when he and the rest of the Indian team couldnt!
The body language of Steve Bucknor is obvious about there being something wrong. Gone is that all amused smile and an occassional exchange of pleasent words with the bowler or player. Knit in the eyebrow is obvious and so also the sarcasitic cocky smile.I don't say all that but the TV does. May be its the age or pressure from some other front. In one of the recent matches India vs Australia, he just did'nt bother to call for third umpire's opinion for one of runouts, which on replay showed the batsman was indeed out!! Yes, no doubt its a tough job but then again, if one finds it tough and difficult to cope he should quit. As for BCCI following Sri Lankan board, well, come on now, don't expect BCCI to stoop to that level. Afterall, playing cricket and facing the consequences is what a player is paid for. The BCCI is all about money, advertisements etc.etc., One cannot expect them to indulge in trivial matters as above!!
prem, your points are all well taken. this issue has enraged me every time it occurs, since our trip to SA. the problem is exacerbated by our own BCCI. with the financial clout they obviously have in the cricketing world, they don't have the backbone to stand up to the ICC big time, or dalmiya has cut some deals with the ICC and has compromised himself to such an extent that a fightback would backfire on him. it is pathetic to watch injustice, sometimes in new and creative ways, being meted out to our favorite players time and time again, only to have nobody in a position of power supporting them and in fact, to watch them being hung out to dry. let's also not forget that bucknor cost us the last test match in australia with his not-out decisions in the fourth inning in plumb lbw situations at critical times, to add to our indian team's woes. the only solution left is an open rebellion by our team against the ICC (which they would understandably be afraid of doing unsupported by BCCI, except possibly for sachin tendulkar who unfortunately doesn't seem to have the spine for such wars) or getting dalmiya out and a Mr.-x-with-a-spine in.
Whichever team goes to Australia they have same kind of experiences, it is not quite new and I am afraid that all these analysis and reanalyses will be in vain though they are completely valid and true.
