The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : `Umpires need to be more tactful'

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Sunday, Oct 01, 2006
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`Umpires need to be more tactful'

LONDON: ICC's chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle has said that umpires should do everything possible to prevent the forfeiture of a match while making a veiled attack on Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove for their tactless handling of the Oval Test.

According to him, the umpires should explain to the team the consequences of interrupting play and not declare a match as forfeited until they were absolutely sure that the team was refusing to play the rest of the match.

"Umpires should do everything possible to defuse tensions by explaining that a team is entitled to raise any grievance through the ICC. It is not in the interests of the game for the team to interrupt play," Madugalle said.

"In my judgment, a difficult and sensitive situation such as that which arose in the Oval case requires handling with tactful diplomacy as well as firm adherence to the laws," he was quoted as saying by the BBC on Saturday.

"Umpires shouldn't return to the field of play and then declare the match to be forfeited unless and until they are absolutely sure that the team is refusing to play the rest of the match. All other options should first be exhausted, involving discussions with the captains and managements," he said. — PTI

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