Benson & Bucknor fell India

India have every reason to come away from the 122-run defeat to Australia in the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground believing that justice is a word which exists only in the dictionary. After being set 333 for victory in 72 overs by Ricky Ponting’s Australia, India were bowled out for 210, with poor umpiring once again hastening their downfall. Every game of cricket is expected to be decided only by the relative skills with bat and ball of the two teams involved in battle. Sure, there will be the odd umpiring error or two, but that is only to be expected because umpires are human, too. It is when the incompetence of the umpires is so marked that their decision-making becomes the decisive factor, as happened at the SCG, that tempers start to flare up. Umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson hogged limelight when we should have instead been celebrating a V V S Laxman masterpiece, a Sachin Tendulkar work of art or a Matthew Hayden construction full of intelligence and industry. The 11 blunders The West Indian veteran and the former England batsman made 11 serious mistakes — eight of which adversely impacted India — to chart the destination of a match that might otherwise have headed in the other direction. To make matters worse, the Australians perhaps soured relations between the two teams by reneging on a gentleman's agreement and claiming a catch when Michael Clarke first picked up the ball on the bounce, then grounded it as he rolled over on completing the take. More than the umpires’ mistakes, this single act hurt the Indians, leaving them feeling cheated. Already smarting under the allegations of racial abuse levelled against Harbhajan Singh, it was a pill bitter to swallow. Despite his players not walking upon getting thick edges and despite grounded catches being claimed, Ponting replied in the affirmative when he was asked if the match was played in the spirit of the game. “I have absolutely no doubt about this game being played in the right spirit,” said the Australian skipper. “There has been one little issue that’s come out of the game that’ll be more or less sorted out tonight. But otherwise, the spirit between both teams in both Tests has been excellent,” he said. Anil Kumble wasn’t having any of it. The Indian captain was asked for his comment on Ponting’s assertions. Almost disdainfully, the man who symbolised India’s spirit and character through the five days of the Test replied, “I think only one team is playing in the spirit of the game.” It was a damning indictment of a team that is happy to shout from rooftops that it is the standard-bearer in every aspect cricketing. Coming from a cricketer and a gentleman, the effect was manifold. Sunday’s win levelled Australia’s own record streak of 16 straight Test triumphs. Kumble led the Indians in congratulating the Aussies on the victory, if not the manner in which it was achieved. No prizes for guessing which team is playing in the spirit of the game! GOOF-UPS THAT WENT AGAISNT INDIA 1 Ricky Ponting, then 17, adjudged not out by Mark Benson when caught behind off Ganguly. Went on to score 55. 2 Andrew Symonds, 30, adjudged not out by Steve Bucknor when caught behind off Ishant Sharma. 3 Symonds, 48, adjudged not out by third umpire Bruce Oxenford when stumped off Anil Kumble. 4 Symonds, 148, adjudged not out by Bucknor when stumped off Kumble, without a referral to third umpire. Symonds went on to score an unbeaten 162 in the first innings. 5 Mike Hussey, 22, adjudged not out by Benson when leg before to Kumble, in the second innings. 6 Hussey, 45, adjudged not out by Benson when caught behind off RP Singh. Hussey went on to score an unbeaten 145 in the second innings. 7 Rahul Dravid, 38, adjudged caught behind by Bucknor off Symonds when the ball went off the pad. 8 Ganguly, 51, adjudged caught at second slip by Michael Clarke off Brett Lee on the fielder’s word. Replays confirmed it wasn't a clean catch. SLIPS IN FAVOUR OF INDIA 1 Ponting, 55, adjudged leg before to Harbhajan Singh by Benson when he nicked the ball on to his pads. 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 36, adjudged not out by Benson when leg before to Clarke. Went on to score 154 not out. 3 V V S Laxman, 16, adjudged not out by Benson when leg before to Lee. Went on to score 109. News Source : Samachar