| Aye aye to electronic eye |
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| Written by Jaideep | |
| Friday, 15 December 2006 | |
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I couldn’t agree more with Sanjay about the electronic eye aiding the umpire. There are too many bizarre arguments thrown up by traditionalists (and other kinds of people too) which quite simply don’t take the betterment of the game into account. One such reasoning is that part of the game’s charm is this variable of human error from the umpire. This is ridiculous, as it does not take into account the players’ careers that could be on the line, or the match that could be at a razor’s edge (like Strauss’ wicket today). It really is time to let scientific progress lead to attitudinal progress here. Another argument is that it would slow down the game. Doesn’t quite wash, as cricket is not like football or hockey. The game stops after every ball is delivered anyway, and if the umpires in the middle are wired to access the third umpire’s judgment calls, then what can possibly be the problem? How many times in a game do you get such situations anyway? Please don’t have different rules for Tendulkar and Sehwag, Sanjay. If India was to adopt the Australian method (which may well be the best option here, but in that case you have to be consistent in your calls) then Tendulkar’s place would have been in trouble long back. The fact is that Sehwag is yet to get enough of the proverbial rope that Tendulkar has benefited from recently, and once again, given that Sehwag’s India’s only truly successful opening batsman after Gavaskar, please think of the alternatives more carefully. Pathan as an opener is a no-no outside the subcontinent, and the effect of one-day cricket is really camouflaging perhaps the most specialist job in the game, and that is sad. India are 151-5 at close against South Africa, but it wasn’t such a bad day, really, despite what the hyper Indian media would have you believe. This is a tough wicket to bat on, with variable bounce on the first day itself. Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman played very well to get as much as they did. A substantial innings from Ganguly would cement his place again, and if he can do it in these circumstances, no doubt even Greg Chappell would be delighted. Australia meanwhile have surged ahead in the Ashes test. Ho-hum. And, in New Zealand, Sangakkara is crafting one of the great overseas batting performances in recent times. An unbeaten century in the losing effort last week, and now 156 not out in a team total of about 268. Fantastic stuff. This current NZ-SL test might be the most interesting match on now actually. |
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