The Cricket World Cup is over. The final of the World Cup between England vs New Zealand was one of the greatest ODI matches of the Cricketing history. But there were many mistakes and blunders in the World Cup final and these have created many controversies. Former Umpire Simon Taufel has also said that there was a big umpiring error according to cricket laws, which changed the result of the biggest match of the World Cup, The Finals.
We all have witnessed that the last night was one of the epic encounters in cricket history. The match ended in a most dramatic fashion and its England who lift the World Cup trophy at Lords Cricket Ground. The most thrilling match was not for weak hearted as the game had tension, drama and every single thing what a big match like Final should have. But it also had one more thing which has spoiled the spirit of Cricket; a poor umpiring.
Although there were many mistakes and umpiring error like the wrong decisions in one of the biggest tournament; but there was a huge blunder in the umpiring as per the Cricket law. If that would have been correct, we would have New Zealand as the World Champions. Yes, it’s true. Let us explain to you what this blunder is.
It all happened when England needed 9 runs off 3 balls. The throw from Martin Guptill accidentally hit Ben Stokes bat, when he was completing the second run and ball ran away for a boundary. The umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Marais Erasmus awarded England six runs, instead of five. Simon Taufel, a former umpire who is also the member of the MCC laws sub-committee that presides over Cricket’s complex rule book admitted that awarding England with 6 runs (2 + 4 overthrow) in the fourth ball of final over by virtue of an overthrow was an obvious mistake. The umpires made an error of judgment while applying the cricket laws.
According to Law 19.8, pertaining to “Overthrow or willful act of fielder“, the second run off the ball should not have been counted and England should have been granted five runs and not six.
Law 19.8 States,
“If the boundary results from an overthrow or from the willful act of a fielder, the runs scored shall be any runs for penalties awarded to either side, and the allowance for the boundary, and the runs completed by the batsmen, together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the throw or act.”
In this case, as per the law, when Martin Guptill released the ball, Ben Stokes and Adil Rashid had not crossed each other for the second run. Simon Taufel explained that then England would have required 4 runs in the remaining 2 balls, instead of 3. And, more importantly, it would have been Adil Rashid on strike instead of in-form batsman Ben Stokes.
He, however, defended both the on-field umpires stating that umpires have to watch batsmen completing runs, then change focus and watch for the ball being picked up, and watch for the release of the throw and also watch where the batsmen are at the exact moment. But for the billions of cricket fans, this is unfair. If you make such judgemental errors, it is the cricket who loose. The spirit of the game goes down.
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was also visibly disappointed. He told,
It was a shame that the ball hit Stokes’ bat, but I just hope it doesn’t happen in moments like that. Unfortunately, that sort of thing happens from time to time. It’s a part of the game that we play. I don’t wish to nitpick, just hope it never happens in such moments ever again.
Well, many cricketing fans also turned into social media and have shown their anger against ICC Rules. If umpires have given the proper decisions, followed proper Cricket laws, then England would have been a run short. And, we would have totally witness an opposite winner, Blackcaps, NEW ZEALAND.
But, in the end, it all came down to, WHAT IF. Congratulations England for becoming the Champions, and New Zealand for winning billions of hearts. Kane Williamson, you are a gem of a leader and great gentleman. Cricket needs a leader like you. Well done man.
What do you all think about this Cricket law? Don’t you guys think umpiring error costs various games in this World Cup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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