Cricket’s Rudi awakening
10 Feb 2008
Rudi Koertzen’s abysmal umpiring performance at the MCG on Sunday showed why cricket needs a referral system.
The South African official is in a slump of note. He was involved in the farcial finish to the World Cup final as a reserve umpire, when the game finished in the dark. This season he controversially gave Kumar Sangakkara out caught against Australia in Hobart as the batsman was approaching his double century. Replays showed the ball brushed Sangakkara’s shoulder, and Koertzen was replaced by Pakistan’s Aleem Dar for Sri Lanka’s next Test series against England (the ICC insisted he hadn’t been “dropped”).
Koertzen struck again on Sunday, this time in the CB Series match between Australia and India. Adam Gilchrist, on an emotional farewell tour similar to Shaun Pollock’s, was the first victim, being given out lbw for a duck when he clearly edged the ball onto his foot. Legendary commentator Richie Benaud summed it up perfectly when he said Gilchrist had “found himself between a rock and a hard place, because if there had been a short leg in place, he would’ve had to walk”.
Koertzen then made a second howler during India’s run chase, giving Sachin Tendulkar not out when the snickometer showed he’d edged a Stuart Clark delivery to Gilchrist. There was a noise as the ball passed the bat, which the umpire failed to pick up from the stump mic. Tendulkar, 24* at the time, went on to make 44 which in the context of a low-scoring match was crucial.
Both of these mistakes could have been avoided had Koertzen been allowed to refer the decision to the third umpire. Gilchrist would have been given not out, Tendulkar would have been sent back to the change rooms, and the course of the game may have changed.
By simply giving each team three referrals an innings, the ICC would prevent umpires from having such an impact on the game. If the team making the referral is proven to be correct by TV replays, then that team would still have three referrals left. If the umpire has made the right call, then the team would have two.
It’s worked in tennis, so what the hell is cricket waiting for? There is no room for amateur errors in a professional game.
By Simon Borchardt
34 Comments
10 Feb 2008, 13:00 pm
Agree Simon , sport is not a game anymore where you can sit around a bar laughing things like that off. Since it became profesional , careers are hanging on it. The game might be a bit longer but if the right result is coming from that it all worth it.
10 Feb 2008, 13:01 pm
Proteas WERE dragons.
WTF is going on with uncle Rudi, I always tought of him as one of the best! and know he is becoming like bucknor! No rudi!
10 Feb 2008, 13:03 pm
Hey You weren’t there when I started typing, guess I’m getting as old as Rudi too…
10 Feb 2008, 13:35 pm
Simon
You harping on about nothing…this is a nothing story.
The snick could have easily been missed….the noise in the stadium…many factors. The ball did not seem to move away from the bat.
Umpired make mistakes…Koertzen has not made to many so far since CWC.
i would like to see referring…just for the spectacle..bring the crowd more into the game.
10 Feb 2008, 14:08 pm
Agreed Walla…
10 Feb 2008, 15:08 pm
I saw the snickometer reading – it was very, very, slight. Thousands of umpires throughout the history of the game would have given that not-out.
The problem’s not with Koertzen, it’s with the smelly old ICC ****-faces who just refuse to see the logic in using the technology available – purge the idiots and the game will rise to the next level
10 Feb 2008, 15:15 pm
It just feels wrong to use tech. I’m a traditionalist and this 3rd umpiring wil interfere in the game. Keep the umps, but make sure they stay sharp and keep them on their toes. Let the captain or player appeal if he isn’t satisfied.
10 Feb 2008, 15:16 pm
And another thing – close-up TV showed absolutely no deviation or change in rotation of the ball – anyone who has umpired will tell you that those are the main clues you look for when making a caught behind decision. Sound is secondary bacause stadiums are noisy and noises emanate from other areas as well – like pads. bat hitting the ground, clothing etc….. etc…..
10 Feb 2008, 15:46 pm
did rudi get one of those special envelopes under his hotel room door??
10 Feb 2008, 15:51 pm
Another poor performance by a South African. Just like Mickey & Norman. They should all be fired the whole lot of them:
Mickey Arthur
Norman Arendse
Graeme Smith
Rudi Koertzen
Select a team on merit to play for the Proteas:
Coach: Kepler Wessels / Ray Jennings
Test Team:
Neil Mckenzie (Capt)
Hashim Amla
JP Duminy
Jacques Kallis
Ashwell Prince
Morne van Wyk (wk)
Paul Harris
Monde Zondeki
Morne Morkel
Albe Morkel
Dale Steyn
10 Feb 2008, 15:51 pm
ICC??
don’t the Indians control the world game these days??
10 Feb 2008, 15:53 pm
And just for the record we are going to win the Super 14 this year, the Blue Bulls.
10 Feb 2008, 15:55 pm
#12 I second that
Fourie du Preez is the key.
10 Feb 2008, 16:42 pm
UUUHHHH Stump Mic … When does the umpire have a stump mic?
10 Feb 2008, 16:51 pm
#10 even tough you don’t like Smith you can’t ignore the fact that he is one of the best batsmen in this country and he is also currently in great form. There is not really a reason that can justify him being left out.
10 Feb 2008, 17:12 pm
Coming back to Arendse. Who is this fool, who took time to congratulate his daughter on her birthday while it was Pollock’s farewell at the Bull ring. This man is going to go down as the person who has destroyed SA cricket.
Shame on you Arendse, listen to your own blackplayers, they DO NOT WANT transformation as it has happened already.
10 Feb 2008, 17:28 pm
Not that I am totally against technology or its use in cricket, you are scraping the barrel on this article Simon – almost as badly as your Sevens one last week.
Ian Healy mentioned when commentating that during his time behind the stumps many nicks were not given because of the noise in that place, also, Rudi is not the first umpire to miss an inside edge in the history of cricket.
Rather than spending millions around the world in upgrading technology to use in ‘referrals’ why not have all the ICC umpires work closely with someone like this Calder woman who helped the Boks and Poms in rugby?
I would rather equip our umpires on the park better than have some guy watching a TV screen make all the decisions – and even they get it wrong too.
10 Feb 2008, 17:41 pm
Rudy has been pretty bad lately. And I’d support hte use of technology – but as Rudy shows when SA palyed the West Indies and he chose NOT to refer a run out )the Boucher flick) when a third umpire would’ve given it out – having the technology available doesn’t mean it will be used.
Also, the report – like the Aussie commentators – totally ignores the pretty ordinary decision by Simon Taufel when he gave Sehwag out, with the ball clearly going over the stumps. Could have been just as decisive as teh Tendulkar decision.
10 Feb 2008, 18:50 pm
Cape Town – Cricket South Africa (CSA) president Norman Arendse has challenged the validity of a decision made by his CEO Gerald Majola, who has labelled a resolution taken by CSA’s general council on Saturday as unconstitutional.
“No individual can decide that a general council resolution is unconstitutional,” Arendse explained. “He (Majola) could request a review or rescind.”
The resolution taken by Cricket South Africa’s General Council on Saturday was that national coach Mickey Arthur be relieved of his duties as a national selector.
However, Arendse said it was brought to his attention on Saturday night that there was a clause in Arthur’s contract which stated that one of his duties was to serve as a national selector.
“I was not aware of this clause and in the light of the resolution taken earlier in the day by general council I informed the selectors, general council members and the coach (Arthur) that the coach be included in the selection deliberations for the squad to tour Bangladesh,” said Arendse.
“I also informed the convener of the selectors (Joubert Stryom) that the selection process had to be carried out in conformity with the transformation policy of Cricket South Africa.”
Majola’s decision to label Arthur’s removal from the selection process as unconstitutional was made in a press statement issued on Sunday morning.
Obligated to adhere to the policy of transformation
According to Arendse, Arthur was employed by Cricket South Africa and therefore he is obligated to adhere to the policy of transformation.
He added that the three selectors who were chosen at CSA’s last general elections had a duty to carry out selection duties in keeping with transformation objectives.
Arendse said he was pleased that the CEO has pointed out in his statement on Sunday that his complaint against Arthur will be investigated.
The Protea selection drama unfolded last Tuesday when Arendse refused to rubber stamp a 14-man tour squad which had been handed to him because of the inclusion of only four black players.
Arendse maintains that as the CSA president he has duty to ensure that national squads reflect the demographics of a country where whites account for little more than 10 percent of the population.
10 Feb 2008, 20:17 pm
All good and well, but the ump that made the blunders is not a english man. The ICC is ruled by those okes and with a partial finger in the pie by the ausies, and they surely would not change the laws, unless they go through a period of rough umpiring deals against them. Only then will they start opening their mouths against that. They love intimidating the umpires, and the english are too numb too see it.
My Zim $1 000 000 worth of idee.
10 Feb 2008, 20:33 pm
Hope you sleep well at night Arendse! It must be hard being one of the most unnappreciated persons on earth!
10 Feb 2008, 20:35 pm
Only in South-Africa will a guy go to a social event with a Protea-jersey while there is so much nonsense going on.
I nearly smacked the idiot!
10 Feb 2008, 21:01 pm
CL
Once again… calm down. This , like many other problems, will blow over. By the way I’m still awaiting my invite…
10 Feb 2008, 23:30 pm
In cricket what comes around goes around. The Aussies got the rough end this time as did the Indians under Buchner. The difference is that the Aussies have accepted the bad umpiring and will just move on. Unlike the Indians who whinged like stuff pigs and made an International blackmaill threat to have Buchner removed. What a load of crock. This is not the first time India has held cricket to ransom and it wont be the last. It’s time cricket was split and let the sub-continent have their own tournaments. Cricket can well do without them.
11 Feb 2008, 01:03 am
ICC?? don’t the Indians control the world game these days??
How true.
After the recent Indian v ICC Power-Play, reckon most officials are scared sh1tless to make any call against them unless they are 1000% sure.
Rudi is over it, but trying hard to impress and hanging our for that job offer from India!
Watch India now mandate the ICC to have Rudi officiate at all their games:-)
It’s all Sick Sick Sick
Thank you India, you have certainly taken the game to new lows.
11 Feb 2008, 03:33 am
Sheesh Simon, all hot air I think! Swayed by the one eyed commentators and pictures from C9 counts for nothing in assessing errors form umpires. If for no reason other than that they will show, amplify and repeat any ‘potential’ error against the local team but will brush anything going against the opposition without even a shoulder shrug!
At some stage I thought the replay of the snicko got stuck as they showed it over and over again, was just getting ready to give the old box a kick when it moved on… It was the softest of noises with absolutely no deviation of the ball. The sound could have come from anything and without deviation what can the ump do?
11 Feb 2008, 05:19 am
Feel sorry for umps today. they dont have the benefit of a ” kyk weer” or a snicko meter!
11 Feb 2008, 05:47 am
By the way, Nine and the ABC Radio have discussed the use of technology like snicko, hotspot and hawkeye at lenght during this season. The issue is that it was created for the tv audience and to enhance their viewing pleasure. At no stage was it ever intended to ‘help’ the officials and has never been tested for that purpose. Last year Nine admitted that hawkeye can be adjusted and with that you get competing results.
Back to the Tendulkar nick, the best a 3rd umpire could have done is look at the pictures and with no deviation he would have reached the same conclusion. The edge onto the pad, fair enough but as was mentioned above, he was not the first and he will not be the last.
11 Feb 2008, 09:20 am
“Mickey Arthur is contracted by Cricket South Africa (Pty) Ltd, and his contracted duties include being a national selector,” Majola said in a statement on Sunday on CSA’s website.
“Only the board of directors of CSA (Pty) Ltd can change this, and therefore the resolution taken at General Council’s teleconference on Saturday to remove Mr Arthur from the selection process is unconstitutional.”
The ruling was reluctantly accepted by Arendse who, in comments carried by the Sapa press agency, nevertheless disputed Majola’s right to pronounce on the council’s remit.
“I was not aware of this clause (in Arthur’s contract) and in the light of the resolution taken … by general council I informed the selectors, general council members and the coach that the coach be included in the selection deliberations for the squad to tour Bangladesh,” said Arendse
11 Feb 2008, 09:48 am
Arendse got trumped by Majola.
Majola has more melanin. That means he wins, every time.
Poor Arendse. Got a bit too big for his britches there, for a while.
Anyway, now he’s been yanked back into line.
11 Feb 2008, 10:57 am
“Mickey Arthur is contracted by Cricket South Africa (Pty) Ltd, and his contracted duties include being a national selector,†Majola said in a statement on Sunday on CSA’s website.”
Arendse was not aware of this clause???? WTF does he know?
11 Feb 2008, 17:06 pm
#23 you never have an extraordinary comment to post, do you slappes? What does arendse know? Nothing. The Indians were a nightmare yesterday, our loss was quite emberassing.
11 Feb 2008, 17:08 pm
Oops my spelling is a nightmare too. Sorry
12 Feb 2008, 03:53 am
Can Arendse read?
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