Test Cricket: England v India

[Christopher Kreuzer]

"Well I'm no cricket umpire but I suspect that the ball became dead when the wicket was broken."

No.

But it does become dead at the call of "over".

Maybe the point is that the umpire only called 'over' because the wicket had been broken. I presume the appeal from India came after this alleged 'over' had been called, at which point I'm guessing the other umpire and the third umpire were called in, and eventually Bell was declared out. What I'm not clear on, is some of the other details. I read somewhere that Bell got angry at being given out, while still in the middle (does this not count as dissent?). In other reports, I read that he and Morgan had walked off for tea before the 'out' was given, but I assume this going for tea is being confused with walking out of your crease to talk to the other batsman. How close was the ball to the boundary marker anyway? I thought what normally happened is that the fielder makes a 'boundary' signal to the umpire. These reports of the body language of the fielders suggesting that it was a four are not quite the same as that, and presumably the umpire never indicated a boundary, which should have given Bell a clue (and is probably what gave Morgan the clue). Maybe it is one of those things you just have to watch in full. Is it available online to view anywhere?

[Sean Hewitt]

"Well I'm no cricket umpire but I suspect that the ball became dead when the wicket was broken."

No.

But it does become dead at the call of "over".

I heard Bell interviewed on the radio yesterday. He was asked if the umpire had called over and he said "No, not that I heard.

[Mick Norris]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/14359723.stm

"I was a bit stupid admits Bell"

[Ian Kingston]

Highlights are at http://www.channel5.com/shows/cricket-e ... s/day-3-17. It's the full highlights programme, but if you skip to 22:30 you can see the incident.

[Alex Holowczak]

Maybe the point is that the umpire only called 'over' because the wicket had been broken. I presume the appeal from India came after this alleged 'over' had been called, at which point I'm guessing the other umpire and the third umpire were called in, and eventually Bell was declared out.

We don't know, because we can't hear it on any audio of it. So you can't be clear on this detail.

What I'm not clear on, is some of the other details. I read somewhere that Bell got angry at being given out, while still in the middle (does this not count as dissent?).

You heard wrong. He wasn't angry. And in any case, he was stood on the boundary edge when he was given out by the screen, not in the middle!

In other reports, I read that he and Morgan had walked off for tea before the 'out' was given, but I assume this going for tea is being confused with walking out of your crease to talk to the other batsman.

Nope, he was stood on the boundary edge, but on the field of play.

How close was the ball to the boundary marker anyway? I thought what normally happened is that the fielder makes a 'boundary' signal to the umpire. These reports of the body language of the fielders suggesting that it was a four are not quite the same as that, and presumably the umpire never indicated a boundary, which should have given Bell a clue (and is probably what gave Morgan the clue). Maybe it is one of those things you just have to watch in full. Is it available online to view anywhere?

Inches away. The fielder showed little enthusiasm to get the ball in to Dhoni after his botched (but successful) attempt to field the ball. When he did, the umpire was busy trying to give the bowler his jumper, rather than signalling four or calling over. The ball came in softly as if the play wasn't live. The stumps were even broken casually. You can see why Bell thought it was tea, even if it wasn't. Everything was being done at half-pace, and the umpire shouldn't really have been giving the jumper back to the bowler until the ball was dead.

[David Williams]

Bell was at the boundary when he was given out, but he was standing by Morgan at the wicket when the run out took place. I imagine the fielder at the boundary thought it was four - he was tumbling over the rope and couldn't see. The wicket-keeper and the fielder who broke the wicket certainly knew the ball was live, and so did Morgan - he grounded his bat to make sure it wasn't him that was being run-out. And I don't see that the umpire would have called "over" until he had either signalled the four or seen the ball safely dead in the hands of the wicket-keeper.

However it seemed right to me that the Indians agreed to withdraw their appeal. And the right response was surely for Bell to block the next ball he received, and then retire.

[Peter Shaw]

It actually looked to me like Bell left his crease attempting a fourth run, it was only when he got halfway down that he saw Morgan wasn't coming and Kumar wasn't in any hurry that he assumed the ball had gone for four so made no effort to get back. I wouldn't have reinstated him, test cricketers should know that they shouldn't go wandering out of the crease until they are 100% sure the ball is dead. The umpire definitely waited until the stumps were broken until handing the bowler the sweater, I don't see how Bell can use this as an excuse.

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if it hadn't been the last ball before tea. I think Bell would just have been out without much controvesy.

[LozCooper]

It actually looked to me like Bell left his crease attempting a fourth run, it was only when he got halfway down that he saw Morgan wasn't coming and Kumar wasn't in any hurry that he assumed the ball had gone for four so made no effort to get back. I wouldn't have reinstated him, test cricketers should know that they shouldn't go wandering out of the crease until they are 100% sure the ball is dead. The umpire definitely waited until the stumps were broken until handing the bowler the sweater, I don't see how Bell can use this as an excuse.

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if it hadn't been the last ball before tea. I think Bell would just have been out without much controvesy.

It's also possible that Bell would have returned to his crease and not headed for the pavilion if it was the middle of an over

I supect that Duncan Fletcher having been a former England coach probably contributed to the amicable agreement at tea.

[Gavin Strachan]

Interesting if it had been Pakestan after the issues from Daryl Hare.

[Paul McKeown]

Bresnan's test batting average now passes 40! England is really blessed at the moment with competent all-rounders.

[Alex Holowczak]

Bresnan's test batting average now passes 40! England is really blessed at the moment with competent all-rounders.

The best of which is Chris Woakes, who averages 32 in first-class cricket with the bat, and 24 with the ball. This makes him almost as good as Flintoff with the bat, but better with the ball. He's only 22, and has played a few T20s. He should be good enough to play Tests for England. The problem is, he's behind a queue of Anderson, Broad, Tremlett, Bresnan and Finn to get in the team!

[Paul McKeown]

Drop Morgan if you need another bowler. I am a big fan of the Paddies, but Morgan doesn't seem to have clicked at the test level yet. If your tail can bat to a high standard down to ten with Anderson as the not the rabbiest of bunnies at eleven, you don't necessarily need six specialist batsmen.

[Paul McKeown]

500 up. India are going to have to break all sorts of records to win or draw this one.

[Alex Holowczak]

Drop Morgan if you need another bowler. I am a big fan of the Paddies, but Morgan doesn't seem to have clicked at the test level yet. If your tail can bat to a high standard down to ten with Anderson as the not the rabbiest of bunnies at eleven, you don't necessarily need six specialist batsmen.

I agree completely. A 5-man bowling attack of Woakes, Broad, Swann, Bresnan and Anderson would be brilliant, and you'd get lots of runs from the four all-rounders. Anderson is invaluable on occasion as a nightwatchman. Bodes well for ODIs, too.

[Ian Kingston]

I make that 93 runs in the first hour this morning. Astonishing.