Waugh blows whistle on match referee

Waugh blows whistle on match referee
JULIAN LINDEN

MELBOURNE, AUGUST 20: Australian captain Steve Waugh was left fuming after his team were deducted two overs for a slow bowling rate and lost against South Africa by eight runs in a One-Day international on Sunday.

South Africa compiled a modest 206 for seven from their 50 overs and then restricted the Australians to 198 for nine from 48 overs. It left the three-game series played indoors at Colonial Stadium tied at one win each after Australia won by 94 runs on Wednesday night and South Africa staged a fightback similar to today's effort to tie Friday's match.

But the two-over deduction, ordered by New Zealand match referee Brian Hastings, enraged the Australian skipper. ``There were things said there that I shouldn't say here they might get some people in trouble but I just couldn't believe we were fined, I was led to believe we were OK,'' Waugh said.

``The umpires thought we were going OK out there, then he (Hastings) stepped in and made his mark.''

The world champions seemed to be cruising home after opener Adam Gilchrist smashed 63 off 67 balls. But they lost their way once he departed. Michael Bevan made a painstakingly slow 33 off 80 balls while Damien Martyn hit a brisk 31 but none of their remaining batsmen made a significant score.

Australia had also looked well in control when South Africa were batting, reducing the visitors to 19 for four. Fast bowlers Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee claimed two wickets each in the space of three overs in a fiery opening spell that rocked the visitors.

Lance Klusener and Neil McKenzie rescued the South Africans with a fifth wicket stand of 98 before Klusener was given out for 49 after a Lee bouncer brushed his gloves on the way through to wicketkeeper Gilchrist. McKenzie departed for 45 in the next over when he dragged a ball from McGrath back on to his stumps. Captain Shaun Pollock (34 not out) and Nicky Boje (28 not out) helped steer the visitors past 200 with an unbroken stand of 56.

Scoreboard

South Africa: Gary Kirsten c M Waugh b McGrath 9, Andrew Hall c M Waugh b McGrath 1, Jacques Kallis c Gilchrist b B Lee 3, Darryl Cullinan b B Lee 0, Neil McKenzie b McGrath 45, Lance Klusener c Gilchrist b B Lee 49, Hendrik Dippenaar run out 21, Shaun Pollock not out 34, Nicky Boje not out 28; Extras: (b4, lb6, w1, nb5) 16 Total: (for 7 wkts, 50 overs) 206
Fall of wkts: 1-16, 2-19, 3-19, 4-19, 5-117, 6-119, 7-150

Bowling: McGrath 10-4-26-3, Brett Lee 10-1-56-3 (4nb), Warne 10-2-30-0 (1w), Gillespie 10-1-39-0 (1nb), Shane Lee 5-0-23-0, Bevan 5-0-22-0

Australia: Adam Gilchrist c McKenzie b Ntini 63, Mark Waugh b Pollock 1, Ricky Ponting c Ntini b Pollock 5, Michael Bevan run out 33, Steve Waugh c Pollock b Klusener 17, Damien Martyn b Telemachus 31, Shane Warne c Kirsten b Boje 7, Shane Lee c McKenzie b Boje 12, Jason Gillespie c Kirsten c Kallis 10, Brett Lee not out 6, Glenn McGrath not out 0; Extras: (lb9, w1, nb3) 13 Total: (for nine wickets, 48 overs) 198
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-31, 3-75, 4-114, 5-131, 6-143, 7-171, 8-176, 9-195

Bowling: Pollock 8-0-36-2, Telemachus 10-2-36-1 (nb-1), Kallis 8-0-37-1, Ntini 6-0-19-1, Klusener 5-0-27-1 (nb-2), Boje 10-0-29-2, Hall 1-0-5-0 (w-1)

Note: Australia were deducted two overs because of slow bowling rate.