Hair raises a dust storm

Hair raises a dust storm
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

SYDNEY, JANUARY 3: The Indian cricket team, already miffed at the umpiring standards here were today in for another shock. No, not the shock of seeing very close shouts going against them -- they are used to that now -- but umpire Darell Hair's refusal to allow Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar's request for sawdust to be sprinkled at the spot where wicket-keeper MSK Prasad was standing.

According to Tendulkar, ``Prasad was finding the spot where he was standing very slippery and I requested Mr Hair for saw-dust to be sprinkled in that area.'' The request was denied on the plea that it is against the rules. No where do the rules say that sawdust should not be sprinkled on areas which are slippery.

On the contrary, it is a normal practice to sprinkle sand or sawdust on the wet and slippery parts of the ground, so that the players are not in a danger to slipping. What does the Indian team make of this `no' for something which in now way goes against the laws, neither against its spirits.

It is being saidthat the request was denied because at the start of the play that area was not wet. One wonders why should the Indian team have lied and what unfair advantage they would have derived from it. This incident is another reminder of the dismissive way towards the Indians of the Australian umpires, be it reacting to legitimate appeals or on such a trivial matter as this.