http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 reiterated call for improvement in umpiring ahead of 2nd Test against NZ
A frustrated Indian captain MS Dhoni once again stressed on the need of improvement in umpiring standards at the highest level of the game after the first Test match of the on-going series with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 was plagued by some howlers
by umpire Steve Davis.
The second Test starts in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hyderabad-c792 today and Dhoni is hoping that the umpires would put up a better show as he mulls over the adoption of the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) technology.
"The way it's going, if they keep on committing the kind of mistakes they are making, whether we are willing or not willing, we'll have to go with the review system," Dhoni said. "At the same time there should be strong measures
to improve the standard of umpiring.
"You have two umpires who are supposed to take good decisions on the field. If you see Laxman's decision [in Ahmedabad], I don't know what to say exactly about it, we need to improve the standard of umpiring. The umpires have too
much pressure about the over-rate, the players' behaviour on the field, the logos and everything apart from giving decisions - that's the most important part.”
The Indians were in a real spot of bother in the first Test and were lucky to escape with a draw courtesy a defiant partnership with their eternal go-to man in times of crisis VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh, who pulled their team
out of the mire with a century plus stand on the final day of the match with the hosts staring at a heavy defeat.
The Indians had dominated play on the first two days of the match and would not have thought in their wildest imagination that they would be facing the prospects of a heavy defeat on the final day, yet it almost happened as veteran
pacer Chris Martin tore through the much vaunted batting line-up of the hosts in the second innings.
The pacer had the Indians reeling at 82/6 at close of play on day four before the rearguard action taken by Harbhajan and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772.
Martin claimed 5 wickets in his hostile spell of bowling; he accounted for four out of the first five batsmen, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Virender-Sehwag-c95429 getting run out.
He then added the scalp of Dhoni before stumps on the penultimate day, yet failed to get the crucial breakthrough on the last day as the Indians batted themselves out of trouble in what was a fascinating battle between the bat
and the ball on a quality Test wicket.
More of the same is hoped for in the second Test, and most of the locals are keen on seeing a special knock from their very own, the ‘Very Very Special’ Laxman.
The exceptionally gifted batsman is looking forward to playing at home and producing a special effort for his adoring fans, who have given him the status of a superstar after his golden run in recent months which has seen him win
Tests from the brink of defeat against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 before the effort in the first Test of the ongoing series at Ahmedabad.
Laxman has not played much on the venue of the Test, the Uppal stadium, yet it has done little to quench his thirst for a memorable performance.
“The Uppal Stadium is new even to me, a local, but I'm more than eager to perform here. It is a brilliant stadium, and having played around the globe I have no doubt it is one of the best. During the IPL
games here, overseas players asked why the stadium was not a Test venue yet. This match will be a test for both the venue and me. I hope the crowds will come in in big numbers to watch,” he said.
Tags: