Chris de Kretser and/or Daryl Timms in Today's Herald Sun Confidential:
No-ball a ton of trouble
The controversial no-ball reprieve for Australian captain Michael Clarke that gave him a chance to make a century at the Gabba would have had Shane Warne recalling one of his biggest regrets.
Warne was dismissed on 99 by New Zealand's Daniel Vettori when trying to bring up his first Test century at the WACA in 2001.
He later found out that Vettori had bowled a no-ball, which was missed by the umpire.
Michael Slater revealed during Channel Nine's cricket show yesterday that Warne only found out about the no-ball at the Allan Border Medal presentation night several months later.
"We shouldn't have told him," Slater said to co-commentator and former captain Mark Taylor, who was aware of the no-ball that was never called.
Warne was furious about never making the cherished three-figure score. He would be just as envious that the review system, as evidenced during the Gabba Test with Clarke, could easily have given him that elusive first Test century.
Not so fast, Kimosabe/s.
The review system would certainly have given Warne that cherished and elusive three-figure first Test century - if he was still batting.
You see, the review system would already have sent Warne packing when he nicked Chris Martin and was caught behind by Adam Parore, only for the umpire to reprieve Warne. Stephen Fleming would have teed the umpire's howler and Warne's not out would have been overturned. Lucky for Australia, too, since the let-off allowed Australia to avoid the follow on (had NZ enforced it).
Nor did Michael Slater reveal yesterday Warne only found out about the no-ball at the Allan Border Medal. We already knew when Warne found out just by watching the AB Medal that night. And nor was it revealed at the AB Medal "several months later". It was revealed at the AB Medal in early 2005, several years later.
So, apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system and public health...
Not to mention that the trend to check possible no-ball wickets started befor eit was formalised in the review system...
Posted by: Jonathan | Monday, December 05, 2011 at 11:13 AM