Wednesday, 3 January 2007

Millmow gets even grumpier

It must be the shocking weather. It seems to be driving most Wellingtonians to frustration. But whatever the malady, it is starting to get to Jonathan Millmow. Yesterday he had a wee rant about Stephen Fleming's continued ommision from the New Zealand team, and today he has a rant about almost everything to do with yesterday's match. Mind you, I don't really blame him. A cold, drizzly day; a low-scoring match; most of the star players absent; and the interesting parts of the game didn't involve either batsmen or bowlers. If there were any highlights then they all involved the fielders - McCullum's brilliant leg-side take, two superb run-outs by Marshall (with McCullum's help) and Vettori, and a shocking piece of cheating by Dilshan Tillerkaratne.

The Sri Lankan claimed a catch that he had dropped and then picked up off the ground. The Sri Lankans have stated that Dilshan didn't realise it wasn't taken cleanly, but I find that impossible to believe. Ironically the Cricinfo journalist covering the series, Charlie Austin - the same man who kicked up the huge fuss about Murali's run-out - simply remarked that Taylor was dismissed "thanks to an electric one-handed diving effort in the gully from Dilshan. He was given out without referral to the television umpire despite doubts as to whether the ball had brushed the turf on pick-up." Where is the fuss about this one Charlie? Perhaps it is time to introduce neutral journalists as well as neutral umpires?

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