Former umpire Simon Taufel has pointed out Kumar Dharmasena for wrongly awarding six runs instead of five in the final leading to the Controversial moment in the World Cup Final.
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Former Umpire Simon Taufel, a member of MCC laws sub-committee, has divulged the on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s mistake during the final of the Cricket World Cup.
In the final over the game, Ben Stokes ran hard in a bid to complete two runs and retain the strike. Meanwhile, Martin Guptill, the fielder, who threw the ball towards the wicketkeeper’s end saw the ball deflect off the English International’s bat – running away for a boundary.
Since it was an unintentional move from the batsmen while diving, the on-field umpire took the matter into his hands without consultation of the third umpire and awarded six runs to England. However, the Australian umpire Taufel has claimed that the Kumar inaccurately awarded six runs, when it should have been only five – a run less which would have helped New Zealand to win the game in 50 overs.
Five-time ICC Umpire of the year winner, Simon Taufel has said that it was ‘an error of judgment’ from the umpires, which kept England and Ben Stokes in the game.
Speaking to Fox Sports, Simon Taufel said: “They (England) should have been awarded five runs, not six.”
“It’s a clear mistake … it’s an error of judgment,”
Abiding with the law 19.8, the hosts should have been awarded a run lesser.
The rule states that the number of runs completed by the batsmen before the fielder releases the throw should be taken into account, should the ball ricochet off the batsmen and cross the boundary line.
When Martin Guptill released the throw, Ben Stokes was only half-way in the middle before the misfortuned New Zealand saw the ball run away for a four after the ball hit the bat with batsmen’s nil consciousness.
Taufel did defend the officials, who are now blamed for the controversial call which resulted in England’s victory.
“In the heat of what was going on, they thought there was a good chance the batsmen had crossed at the instant of the throw” Taufel added.
The former umpire acknowledged the had an influence on the outcome of the game, but said that it should not have been viewed as costing New Zealand the match and the tournament.
“It’s unfair on England, New Zealand and the umpires involved to say it decided the outcome.” Taufel said.
