BENSON & SLEDGES

Have the ICC ever cited Daryl Hair's health as an excuse... sorry, reason for the way they dealt with any of Hair's controversies? They certainly used it as a get-out when Ross Emerson called Murali in Adelaide. Now it appears Mark Benson has a convenient heart problem:

Umpire Mark Benson walks out on Australia v West Indies in Adelaide

Mark Benson, one of England's best known umpires, is expected to confirm that he has resigned from international cricket after walking out on the second Test between Australia and the West Indies in Adelaide.

Benson, 51, is suffering from ill health, according to the International Cricket Council. But it is understood he was upset after a number of his decisions were challenged under the controversial new referral system on the first day of the Test. His place was taken by the Pakistani official Asad Rauf.

"How's your heart, Mark? Really, that bad. That's a relief."

Is nineteen months long enough to constitute an "Indian fans have long memories" call?

The Ghosts of Sydney 2008 are finally laid to rest

the BB-queing India suffered at Sydney between Jan 02 to Jan 08 of 2008

Anil Kumble, one of the fiercest gentleman warriors the world of cricket has seen, said to Harsha "Dignity was not enough, Harsha", after India was skewered

that spitting image of churlish Ricky Punter almost browbeating the umpires to raise their fingers or hold them as per his whim.

where the Australian team looked less like cricketers and more like an escaped chain gang who had taken over the nearest town and were forcing manipulations against those who were standing up to them.

Bucknor retired, without a shred of remorse. He had the opportunity to make amends and cricket would have been richer in integrity there and then if he had at least felt sorry for his misdeeds. Instead he chose to make some politico statements which nobody but a few West Indians bit into. But never mind...

The other white coated angel of cricket's death, Mark Benson, is meeting his comeuppance in the same nation where his darkest deeds have been recorded by cameras for ever.

that's how it happens to mediocre men who make blatant mistakes. I did not see him "rant" upon himself for his misdeeds at Sydney! Did you? Not an effing word about it from him till now! he expects sympathy?

Escaped chain gang? Au contraire. The correct term is "wild dogs". And don't forget "Only one side is playing cricket out there."

Comments

[Big Ramifications]

TONY: And don't forget "Only one side is playing cricket out there."

After that pouty-faced quip, the Indian members of the press corpse gave him a round of applause??? Yes? Issues. Anyone who could applaud that disgraceful episode has issues.

There were no winners.

… except… in a roundabout way… and with the benefit of hindsight… the supporters of the non-clappers were probably winners because they didn’t clap and say: “Yaaaay! We are in the right just check out our awesome quotes!”

“And watch us behave like belligerent two year olds for the rest of the series!”

/The Princess Bride poison chalice scene

[Ankit Mishra]

i think it was a wager between rauf and benson...

[Cricket Betting Blog]

Whatever the rights and wrongs of that test, what the hell is Dave Richardson on about.

He has stated that Benson returned to the UK for "a combination of health and pressure problems" he also said "Coping with a very pressured job proved too much for him."

After that he claimed the sole reason for Benson's departure was health. Slightly contradicting remarks in my opinion.

He then also added that it's up to Benson if he wants continue as an elite umpire. What!!

You can walk out during a test match and still keep your job. What is going on at the ICC? Is there such a shortage of umpires that they are prepared to rely on Benson again?

Personaly I think the referrels system is a load of crap and should be scrapped, so for that reason I have some limited sympathy for Benson and umpires as a whole as I believe they are being shafted by the ICC.

[The Don has risen]

I , naturally, agree with Darryl Hair.

Get rid of the stupid referral system.

[Big Ramifications]

OK, I'm going to officially stop banging on about that disgraceful press conference. Never again. Promise.

I can see bubbling to the surface some interesting possibilities and hilarious consequences regarding egos.

*There are a limited number of referrals.
*Just about every West Indian given out has held his ground and waited for a referral [I haven't watched every ball of the series] and on at least one occasion I'm aware of they ran out of referrals.
*Can't wait for the day when some fat head wastes a referral and costs his team dearly.

NOTE: This is not a dig at the Windies. The Australian team has a number of fat heads. It's just the Windies were the first team that got me thinking about such a scenario.

[Tony]

There's nothing wrong with banging on about that disgraceful press conference. It demands banging on about.

[Hewy]

I liked the way that Kumble got stuck into Clarke for not walking when he was caught at slip. Ishant Sharma did exactly the same thing, but presumably that was okay.

Another favourite from the tribunal after that test - Sachin Tendulkar gave one story to the first tribunal. When he wasn't believed he left the building and texted the BCCI to cancel the tour. At the second tribunal he then gave a completely different story. So, I'm guessing that at least at one of the tribunals the correct story wasn't told. Is there a penalty for lying to an ICC tribunal?

[The Don has risen]

Hewy a few facts to consider.

Both teams agreed to take the word of the fieldsman if a catch was taken.Clarke didn't and started it all with a catch that wasn't close.

The Judge brought in to address these issues found several people not to be good witnesses. Tendulkar was not one of them. Several Australians were.

Tendulkar was on to what the Aussies wanted to do and warned the turbanator about their motives.
This is why I do not believe the turbanator said what some Aussies thought they heard.
The Aussies were ready to hear a certain word and reacted very very quick when they thought they heard it although most could not have possibly heard it.

No team came out of this well but Asutralia looked very thuggish.

[Hewy]

Re the catch : One can't take the moral highground and then do the same thing. They are mutually exclusive.

A good witness is not one who changes their testimony between hearings.

And in case you missed it... the turbanator did say it. That was the finding of the tribunal. Except that whilst we consider it one word, the argument was he inserted an tiny space between the two syllables which changed the phrase from racist to just abuse. He was charged with abuse, found guilty, but due to the BCCI giving the judge an incorrect version of his prior record, no penalty was given.

[Big Ramifications]

A good witness is not one who changes their testimony between hearings.

Yeah. Who was the judge? Judge Peter Farking Roebuck? Tendulkar was lying thru his teeth. Shame India, shame.

Also, appeal to authority much? An ICC appointed judge decreed it to be so. Ha!

[Tony]

Everyone knows Rollerboy said "monkey" - even those who say he didn't - and he could have saved everyone a headache if he'd owned it.

[Big Ramifications]

At four trial matches in a row some people came along and for an hour while I was batting they were constantly at me. 'Go home, white boy, you're no good. You couldn't make it there, so why are you here?' I thought it was pretty good sledging, actually."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/feb/02/cricket-england-west-indies-2009-westindiescricketteam

That, folks, should be your reaction to racial abuse. Of course it takes a bloody Australian to show the way! ;)

[pat]

Sorry Biggie but Nash is no Ozzie, note even a Queenssslander.

From just before your quote: "I think some ­people thought that I had come over here because I thought the cricket was weak, that I had come here to save them. We Jamaicans are a proud people."

See, he's Jamaican Mon! (even I know the patois as you can see by my thoroughly Windian articulation) Seven months in his mothers womb made him the proud rasta he is today. I'm sure he sings to the boys every day "Want you to know i'm a rainbow too, So, to the rescue here i am".

[Big Ramifications]

Bah! You win this round.

Great article, wot? It's probably buried up there in the recent 400+ posts, but I only found out he was born in Western Australia less than an hour ago.

[Big Rammer's mum]

He was born less than an hour ago?

[Big Ramifications]

Haha good one, mum.

[Tony]

I bet Nash The Slash never even seen The Harder They Come.

One of the great reggae songs: Johnny Too Bad.

[Tony]

Another of the great reggae songs: Country Roads.

"Yeah, listen"

[Tony]

The best reggae song? Time Tough.

[Tony]

Nope.

Funky Kingston.

The horns seal the deal.

[Tony]

Does Message To You Rudy count? That drum intro gets me every time.

[pat]

Keep on throwing them, they've got the boys in the comms room here rocking.

btw love The Specials. I did that message Message to Rudy on your blog sometime earlier this year I think, when Rudy made one of his regular howlers. Someone else (I think it was you) posted The Clash's "Rudie Can't Fail".

In that vein here's one I like. The original Clash film clip on Youtube had one of the most unrelated, idiotic, enraged, spite filled tooing and frowing series of comments ever. Someone must have taken it down so this will have to do. Though looking now the hate seems to have started all over again. Something about this song polarises people. Love it.

[Tony]

I was thinking of The Clash the other day when I mentioned Black Maria: Guns of Brixton.

"When they kick at your front door"

[Tony]

Song for Monty: The Right Profile.

[Big Ramifications]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlVo8sn_UGA

[pat]

What the hell does she say at the end? Sounds like "I guess you'd like jeans with two."

Mena is hot btw, very hot.

Too bad that movie hit all the leftist cliche'd notes. Who would've guessed the strict disciplinarian ex army dad would end up being a repressed gaylord? Never saw it coming.

[Big Ramifications]

Wow. Good call x 3.

[pat]

I've tried googling the quote but I can't find it. Any ideas on what she says or is that irrelevant? I get the feeling I may be missing something here? I probably am as sharp as a bowling ball.

[pat]

Ahh, I worked it out. "I should probably go see what Jane's up to." H'mmm probably irrelevant to your thrust. I'll withdraw now.

[Boo]

>> Everyone knows Rollerboy said "monkey" - even those who say he didn't

Of course. Now that Tony has proved it via his compelling argument from personal incredulity, let's all move on.