Where Does the Buck Stop?

To err is Human but to err repeatedly is just foolish.

On the first day of the test when most Indians switched on their Television sets and saw umpire Steve Bucknor officiating at one of the ends, they must have had a premonition of disaster. But even the biggest critics of Steve Bucknor would not have thought that he would make such a huge blunder which pretty much ensured that India was shut out of the match.

Incompetence deserves no sympathy. Mistakes are inevitable, but somehow Steve Bucknor has had a penchant for haunting the Indians at crucial stages of matches. It is not a recent phenomenon. Way back in 1992-93 when you were more likely to see pigs fly than see an Indian victory outside the subcontinent, India had a brilliant chance to beat South Africa in alien conditions. South Africa was reeling at 70 odd for five and there was a huge appeal for a run out. Third Umpires had been allowed in the game to adjudicate run outs but no, Mr Bucknor thought it was beneath him to let someone else make the decision for him.. He erred, South Africa got a huge reprieve and they battled their way to a draw.

Indians became wary (read: started loathing him) of Bucknor since their last tour down under where Steve Bucknor made a number of erroneous decisions. That was not the terrible part, he went on to mock Rahul Dravid when he walked out to bat at a time when there was a controversy about Rahul and ball tampering. Even the Australian public would have found it hard to believe that a gentleman like Dravid could be accused of ball tampering but to see Steve mocking Rahul’s act of rubbing the ball made one’s blood boil.

Mr Bucknor, famous for his nod of death must now be given the nod from the ICC to pack his bags, stretch his legs and enjoy the sights and sounds of Jamaica. The elite panel is not where he belongs anymore.

Steve Waugh believes there is no need for neutral umpires anymore. I am a touch apprehensive about that. Although he makes a good point when he says that the best must officiate the fact is too many questions are raised and have been raised in the past when an umpire judges in favour of his own national team even though in most cases it may be an honest mistake.

Does it mean that we must give thumbs up for technology? I am a bit iffy on that. That is definitely the future but we are not quite there yet. This was something made obvious by another dodgy decision given by the Third Umpire in the Sydney test, again in favour of Symonds. It is a path that the ICC must tread cautiously on but that does not mean they can drag their feet on this issue. A group must be set up to monitor and implement the use of technology to aid on field umpires. The operative word being aid and not replace them!

Sridhar Natarajan