England fury over umpiring decisions

ENGLAND will consider making an official complaint after demanding clarification on two decisions that left them on the back foot in the first Ashes Test.

Jonathan Trott

ENGLAND will consider making an official complaint to the International Cricket Council after demanding clarification on the two decisions that left them on the back foot in the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

While Australia were celebrating the memorable 98 by Ashton Agar on his international debut, the highest score by a Test No11, England were incensed at what they felt were inconsistencies from Marais Erasmus, the television umpire.

They will resume after a second day that came close to matching the first for excitement, with a lead of 15 established by Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen in a third-wicket stand worth 69.

But the home side feel that they should be much farther clear. Agar, on six, received the benefit of doubt on a stumping, with replays hinting strongly that he had still to regain his ground when Matt Prior removed the bails. At that stage, Australia were 85 behind on first innings.

Then, Jonathan Trott was given out leg-before first ball on review after the on-field decision was overturned because of the failure by technology to detect what he felt was an edge on to his pad.

Erasmus could not view the side-on version of Hot Spot that might have confirmed a thin edge because the broadcasters were still using it for replays of the dismissal of Joe Root, given out caught down the leg side to the previous ball.

Andy Flower, the England team director, asked Ranjan Madugalle, the match referee, to explain the decision-making process and a team spokesman confirmed that clarification has been sought from the ICC, the game's governing body.

James Anderson, whose five wickets restricted Australia to 117 for nine before Agar and Phillip Hughes added a record 163 for the tenth wicket, made no attempt to hide his belief that England suffered the worst of the decisions. “I only saw the stumping on the big replay screen and it is difficult to tell from that,” he said. “I thought it was out and Matt was pretty confident it was out. Trotty hit his and was given not out on the field. What happened after that, I am not too sure.”

Asked whether he thought that the verdict of the on-field umpire should hold if technology is inconclusive, Anderson said: “That is our understanding, yes.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia agreed on the extent of technology to be used for the Decision Review System before the start of the series. ICC regulations say that all available tools will then be employed by the TV umpire, but what is available at any given time depends on the broadcasters, who provide it, and may change from ball to ball.

Agar felt that he had recovered his ground to survive the stumping appeal and continued to play what he admitted may be a life-changing innings. “It feels like a dream for me,” he said. “To have scored a Test hundred would have been awesome. I was surprised at the support I was getting from the whole crowd and there did seem to be some sympathy when I got out.”

The Times