Careers in jeopardy: Chris Rogers

AUSTRALIA opening batsman Chris Rogers cautioned that players careers are on the line every time a decision is referred to the DRS.

Usman Khawaja

AUSTRALIA opening batsman Chris Rogers cautioned that players careers are on the line every time a decision is referred to the DRS.

His warning coming as Cricket Australia sought an explanation from the ICC on why Usman Khawaja was given out at Old Trafford in the first day to of the Ashes Test.

Khawaja was adjudged to have been caught behind off Graeme Swann for one in the first session, with umpire Tony Hill’s decision upheld by the third umpire, Kumar Dharmasena despite the fact that none of the DRS technology produced any evidence that he had in fact edged the ball to the keeper. Indeed, the absence of any evidence strongly suggests that there was no nick.

Replays showed that the left-hander clipped his own pad with his bad which explains why a sound was picked up by the stump microphone but when the audio was married to the television footage, it did not coincide with the ball passing the edge of the bat.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland, in his statement explaining why a clarification had been sought, said that in CA’s opinion, both the on-field decision and the referred decision using the DRS were incorrect.

“CA remains a strong supporter of DRS and believes it is important that cricket continues to improve and build confidence in the DRS,” Sutherland said.

“We understand and accept that from time to time mistakes can be made. However in this instance, on behalf of the player, the team and all cricket fans, we feel duty bound to seek further explanation as to how this decision was arrived at,” Sutherland said.

Even Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tweeted that it was “the worst cricket decision” he had ever seen, and while he was, as it were, appealing to the masses, his view coincided pretty much with how what Khawaja and his batting partner Chris Rogers thought.

Asked about their hurried exchange after Hill has given Khawaja out, Rogers replied: “He said he didn’t hit it and I said he didn’t hit it. And that was about it.”

When the ruling came down from Dharmasena, Rogers could scarcely believe it.

“I was (surprised). I was up the other end. Even in real time I didn’t think he hit it. I didn’t think he was anywhere near it. The umpire must have had a different view on it but I thought it was not out and that’s why we reviewed it.

“From what we saw on the replays I think even the England guys had given up hope of it being out. It was disappointing. Another question mark, I guess.

“It’s a weird thing because I guess it’s people’s careers on the line as well, You want these decisions to be right. I felt for him but it’s been happening so we’ve just got to get on with it and not worry about that and try to have a good day.”

Rogers was reluctant to concede that players’ patience in the DRS is at an end, their confidence in the process thoroughly shot by one inexplicable decision after another.

“Um, it’s a hard one to answer. I still think it’s important. We want technology to make sure these decisions are correct and sometimes it goes for you and sometimes it goes against you and you just have to take it.”

But Australia has been on the receiving end of way too many nonsensical decisions so far in this series and happily, for once, CA is not taking the decision lying down.