"A HOWLER" is a modest way to describe umpire Ian Gould's incorrect decision to give Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara out during day one of the second test in Brisbane on Wednesday.
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On the first television replay you could clearly see that the delivery by Australian Test debutant Josh Hazelwood missed Pujara's bat and gloves on the way through to Brad Haddin by some distance.
From Gould's view it may have looked different. He can only call it as he sees it and he is only human.
Some say the visitors only have themselves to blame as all could have been avoided had they agreed to use the available International Cricket Council's decision review system. Correct.
Unfair and blatantly erroneous decisions are just not cricket.
The game's governing body should stand up to powerful Indian cricket administrators that have for far too long had too much say and make them use the system that they refuse to on the basis they don't 100 per cent trust Hotspot and Eagle Eye technology.
It's good enough for every other Test nation and India shouldn't need convincing, they should be told. Decisions like the one at the Gabba should no longer be part of top-level cricket and should not be tolerated.
Unfair and blatantly erroneous decisions are just not cricket.
To improve the current format, the system should be mandatory in all international matches, the current "ticket" system whereby each team has two incorrect challenges should be abolished and control should be handed back to the umpires.
Ball prediction technology should be scrapped for umpires to determine LBW and surely the third umpire could be better utilised? All he is there for at the minute is to review no-balls and the odd run out, which the field umpire should be able to determine anyway.
If the field umpire had greater control of the system and was unsure of the facts in a situation, he could engage his counterpart in the grandstand to review the vision in order to make a correct decision.
The third umpire could use Hotspot, slow-motion replays and Snicko to resolve the uncertainty, relay his thoughts to the man in the middle for his to make a final call. Simple isn't it?
Umpires are supposed to be on the field to officiate and control the play, but their role has deteriorated and at the moment they are being under-utilised, which is affecting their and the game's credibility.
