ROOT SEEKS CLARIFICATION ON STONEMAN DRS DISMISSAL
MUMBAI: The England cricket team has asked for clarification from the ICC match referee, Richie Richardson, over the use of Decision Review System (DRS) while adjudging opener Mark Stoneman out on the first day of third Ashes Test currently underway at the WACA in Perth.
At the close of day’s play, England captain, Joe Root, and coach, Trevor Bayliss paid a visit to the referee asking him to help them understand the process that led to the dismissal of the English batsman at a crucial juncture of the match. Stoneman was adjudged caught behind by third umpire Aleem Dar, overruling the not out decision from the on-field umpire, Marais Erasmus. There was some confusion as to whether the bat was still in Stoneman’s hand when Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc’s delivery brushed his glove, but Dar decided to rule it in the favour of the fielding side. The footage that emerged later justified the Pakistan umpire’s call. However, England claimed the evidence wasn’t conclusive enough to overrule the on-field decision. Root, in particular, seemed upset with the decision as he was seen hitting the dressing room door in anger after Stoneman was given out. The English team has also decided to raise the wider issue of ensuring a proper standardisation with DRS around the world.
NO EVIDENCE AGAINST INDIAN FIXERS: ACU
NEWDELHI: BCCI Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) chief Neeraj Kumar on Saturday said that no evidence was found against the two Indians named in the alleged Ashes spot-fixing case. Kumar’s comments come in the backdrop of claims made by U.K. publication ‘The Sun’ that two Indian bookies, Sobers Joban and Priyank Saxena attempted to spot-fix the third Test at Perth. Kumar said, “There has been no fixing, there are claims made against the two by Sun reporters.”
He added, “Sobers Joban and Priyank Saxena are in our radar and they are known to us for quite some time. But since no crime has been committed as yet so no legal action can be taken by either English Police or Australian Police or us.”