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In a hard-hitting column, Sydney Morning Herald cricket writer Peter Roebuck said Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson spoilt what was a superb day of cricket.
"Alas, their errors changed the mood of the match. As usual, the weaker side suffered the rough end of the stick. It is hard enough to win in Australian without standing helpless as players of the calibre of Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds are given a second opportunity to build a substantial score," he wrote.
Umpires made four blunders on Wednesday and India were the worst hit with three of them going against them.
Roebuck wrote that Bucknor was past his prime and should have retired after the World Cup in West Indies.
"Indeed, he was expected to retire after the World Cup. Those responsible for allowing him to linger were also partly responsible for a decision that changed the course of the day and possibly the match and series,"
The Herald Sun, meanwhile, said Wednesday's incidents brought the "dwindling umpiring standards" into focus.
"Symonds' heroic knock of 137 not out rescued Australia from serious trouble in the second Test in Sydney against a resurgent India, but not without a controversial helping hand from umpire Steve Bucknor," wrote the newspaper.
The paper has even launched an online poll asking its readers to give their opinion on whether batsmen should walk when they know that they are out.
Another reputed Australian daily Courier mail said the game needs better umpires and not increased use of technology.
"Cricket's man versus machine debate has flared again. Two bad decisions from English umpire Mark Benson - one for and one against Ricky Ponting - started talk at the SCG this morning (Wednesday) over whether umpires need more help from technology," the paper said.
"The temptation is to say cricket needs more technology to help its umpires. It just needs better umpires. No technology currently available can help an umpire when he is faced with a leg-side edge like Sourav Ganguly's," the paper said.
"So may be the answer is to just leave the game as it is but work on improving the standard of the men who do the job. Umpiring standards - like wicket-keeping - are the two key areas of the game which do not seem to be improving," it added.
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RatingIt is true that the umpiring standards have been falling down steadily. But, it is surprising that the Australian media, have, for once, accepted that their team has benefitted from bad umpiring. That shows, to what extent, the standards have gone down. It is a pity, that such bad decisions should alter the course of the match. The sooner the standards improve, the better it is. It is not necessary to use technology more. That will rob the charm of the game.
Any body can win mathes like Assuis with umpires also batting and bowling for them!
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