A terrible decision

Anyone who is an opponent of DRS has just got a whole lot of ammo. The problem is not the system (in my opinion) it's the implementation. The idea that there needs to be clear evidence to overturn a decision is fine, but I genuinely think that the decision to give Usman Khawaja out was appalling.

International cricketers need to be careful about how they talk about umpires, but Jimmy Neesham didn't hold back, with this tweet:

Image found of the third umpire deliberating on Khawaja's referral pic.twitter.com/oz3640AtEB

— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) August 1, 2013

Mini-session Analysis, 4th test, India v England, Nagpur 2012/13

Here is the final mini-session analysis for the fourth test between India and England at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur, India

A mini-session is (normally) half a session, either between the start of the session and the drinks break or the drinks break and the end of the session. Occasionally a long session will have 3 mini-sessions where it will be broken up with 2 drinks breaks.

Mini-Session	Score	Winner
1-1a	England 31/2 off 14	India
1-1b	England 30/0 off 19	draw
1-2a	England 40/0 off 16	England
1-2b	England 32/2 off 16	India
1-3a	England 33/1 off 17	India
1-3b	England 33/0 off 15	England
2-1a	England 42/0 off 17	England
2-1b	England 36/2 off 15	India
2-2a	England 53/3 off 16.5	England
2-2b	India 32/1 off 12	draw
2-3a	India 30/1 off 15	England
2-3b	India 25/2 off 14	England
3-1a	India 26/0 off 17	draw
3-1b	India 33/0 off 15	India
3-2a	India 45/0 off 16	India
3-2b	India 36/0 off 11	India
3-3a	India 42/0 off 16	India
3-3b	India 28/4 off 14.1	England
4-1a	India 29/1 off 12.5	England
4-1b	England 17/0 off 13	India
4-2a	England 31/1 off 16.5	India
4-2b	England 33/1 off 16.5	India
4-3a	England 49/1 off 17.2	England
4-3b	England 31/0 off 15	England
5-1a	England 45/0 off 18	England
5-1b	England 34/0 off 13	England
5-2a	England 34/0 off 15	England
5-2b	England 36/1 off 14	India
5-3a	England 42/0 off 15	England

Last update, click here

England win the mini-session count 14 - 12

First drinks, Day 1: India lead the mini-session count 1-0

When Monty Panesar got a bad decision in the last match, it really wasn't a big deal, because he isn't really likely to score many runs. Losing Alister Cook to a poor decision is a completely different matter. This was a massive bonus for India.

The slow scoring rate that the openers went at wasn't a massive problem if they hadn't been dismissed, but it's very much advantage India after the first hour.

Lunch, Day 1: India lead the mini-session count 1-0

30 runs in 19 overs is very slow going. However it's not a case of the batsmen not showing any intent, it's more that the Indian bowlers have been bowling very straight and quite flat on a pitch that at the moment looks to have more in common with a tortoise than a hare.

Middle drinks, Day 1: The mini-session count is tied up, 1-1

Another very slow hour. This one saw England edge it, but the Indian bowlers are not letting the batsmen have much to play with.

Tea, Day 1: India lead the mini-session count 2-1

When even Kevin Pietersen is scoring slowly it's clear that either the pitch is difficult, or the bowling is very good. I think that the bowling has been demanding, but certainly the pitch is the major factor. Trott will probably be still shaking his head at his decision to leave that ball, it turns out that slow straight ones can be deceptive after all.

Final drinks, Day 1: India lead the mini-session count 3-1

If they keep this over rate up, India are going to through a seriously large number of overs. It will almost be like the 1930's when teams would regularly bowl over 100 overs in a day. Pietersen's wicket was the big news here, at the end of what was possibly his most patient innings, he tried a crazy agricultural shot. There is some sort of irony there.

Stumps, Day 1: India lead the mini-session count 3-2

Joe Root possibly hasn't ever played on a pitch like this. The fact that he has survived over 100 deliveries for 31 runs is certainly going to be encouraging. Prior looked like he was batting on a different pitch to everyone else just like he did in the first test. It was a reasonable final session for England, but I think India are ahead in the match.

Lunch, Day 2: India lead the mini-session count 4-3

Despite the two wickets it really was England's morning. They managed to score relatively quickly, and hence have advanced the game. It's still fairly even, but England will be pleased with their progress.

Stumps, Day 2: England lead the mini-session count 6-4

England will be very happy with their day's cricket. India were probably in the lead at the start of the day, but it is certainly advantage England now. The two wickets in the final hour have really put India in a tricky position for tomorrow morning. The pitch is likely to start deteriorating more tomorrow afternoon, so they really need to start scoring runs. However, being 4 down they need to be cautious, because a dramatic collapse is a distinct possibility if they lose a couple of early wickets. It was an interesting decision of Dhoni's to bat himself at 6 and Jadeja at 7. Taking on that responsibility might be the sign of a captain trying to lift his team. If it works then it's genius captaincy.

First drinks, Day 3: England lead the mini-session count 6-4

India didn't score many runs, but they also didn't lose any wickets. Both batsmen have put away their natural games, each only scoring one boundary off an attacking shot. They are now starting to get to the point where they can start scoring runs. This could be turn into a fantastic match if this pitch actually breaks up. If it doesn't then this could be one of the most boring draws to have ever been played outside the SSC.

Lunch, Day 3: England lead the mini-session count 6-5

India continue to make (very slow) progress. This game isn't moving particularly fast, but it is moving. The new ball is approaching for England. If they can get one more wicket before it arrives, they will hope to finish off India quickly and take a first innings lead. However if India can survive the first 20 overs with the new ball they will be in a good position to build a big score.

Middle drinks, Day 3: The mini-session count is tied up, 6-6

India are making good progress now. Dhoni is playing an innings that is probably going to keep the wolves at bay for a while. He has taken on the responsibility of batting at 6 and so far has played a particularly responsible innings.

Final drinks, Day 3: India lead the mini-session count 8-6

India are probably now in the lead. It has been a fantastic partnership from Kohli and Dhoni. England really need to find a wicket soon. A brilliant 100 from Kohli, this has been an innings of real character. However the job is still not finished, these two (and the next 3) need to put on some serious runs because if the pitch does break up at the end (as it is likely to do) they don't want to be chasing 200 in a couple of sessions, it is very important that they manage to secure a reasonable lead.

Stumps, Day 3: India lead the mini-session count 8-7

One of the most dramatic hours play in this series. Dhoni became the 15th member of the run out for 99 club. At least he isn't like John Beck or Dipak Patel, both of whom never went on to hit a century. England did very well to keep Dhoni away from the strike while he was in the 90s. He went to 90 off 216 balls in over 112.2. He was out for 99 off 246 in over 129.1 meaning that in the 101 balls that England bowled in that time, only 30 went to Dhoni. They managed to keep him in the 90's for over an hour, and it was that pressure that told in the end, resulting in him trying a risky run to try and bring up 3 figures. England are now in a strong position in this match. If they can pick up the last two wickets quickly they can potentially score a relatively quick 250 by the end of the day, leaving India 300 to chase on the last day on a wearing pitch.

First drinks, Day 4: The mini-session count is tied up, 8-8

What a strange hour. India didn't seem to want to score. England didn't seem to want to take wickets. I'm not sure why on either hand. For some reason then at the end of the hour Dhoni declared. I'm interested to see how this develops from here.

Lunch, Day 4: India lead the mini-session count 9-8

England are getting close to batting themselves out of the game here. Positive play is often safer play. They really should try and score runs instead of just batting time.

Middle drinks, Day 4: India lead the mini-session count 10-8

Incredibly slow progress here by England. They need to actually score enough runs to make sure India can't chase them down.

Tea, Day 4: India lead the mini-session count 11-8

A slightly more productive mini-session from England, but still too slow. They need to score runs now, because this pitch is very likely to break up tomorrow.

Final drinks, Day 4: India lead the mini-session count 11-9

England are starting to score some runs, but they are now in a position where they are very unlikely to be able to get into a position where they could win the match. It still might happen, but it was a lot more likely at the start of the day than it is now.

Stumps, Day 4: India lead the mini-session count 11-10

England are executing their plan well. I don't think they have the right plan personally, but they are doing it well. I don't think it's a good idea to ever give up on a winnable game, but perhaps that's part of the reason why I'm not a test captain. (That and not actually being very good at cricket)

First drinks, Day 5: The mini-session count is tied up, 11-11

England are probably safe now.

Lunch, Day 5: England lead the mini-session count 12-11

Trott and Bell have batted very well. They have taken India completely out of this game. It's all about personal averages and scoring psychological points now.

End of match, Day 5: England take the mini-session count 14-12

The match is drawn, but England win the series. It was a clinical performance from England from the last hour of day 3 onwards. From that point on England had their road-map to a series win, and they followed it assiduously.

Law 23 and Steven Finn

Here is a snippet from Law 23, Part 4:

"vi) the striker is distracted by any noise or movement or in any other way while he is preparing to receive, or receiving a delivery. This shall apply whether the source of the distraction is within the game or outside it."

The conditions for a dead ball are quite clear. The batsman has to be distracted. If the batsman is not distracted, then the ball should not be declared dead.

The test is not "does the umpire think that the batsman should have been distracted." The test is "was the batsman distracted."

The timing is also interesting. When is the ball dead? A possible argument is that the ball should be declared dead immediately once an umpire feels that the batsman is likely to be distracted. However that's not the test. The test is if the batsman was distracted. The ball also does not have to be declared dead immediately once an incident has happened. See for example Tom Smith's description of how to rule on an injury:

"Example 4
The ball has been hit into the outfield and the fielder, in attempting to stop it, falls and is in obvious pain through a serious injury.
Before calling Dead ball, the umpire should look to see if the ball is continuing towards the boundary. If it is and it will reach the boundary almost immediately, he would not call Dead ball as once the ball crosses the boundary it is going to be dead anyway. By delaying the call he will neither be depriving the batting side of a boundary nor unnecessarily delaying getting attention to the stricken fielder"
(Smith, 2003, p.167)

It is completely within the consistent ruling of Law 23 to see what happens, and then call the ball as dead if necessary.

Which brings us to the Steven Finn breaking the wickets with his leg. The correct ruling here is that the umpire should see if the batsman was distracted or not before calling the ball dead.

If the batsman hits the ball for 4, or 2, then it should not be a dead ball, as the batsman was clearly not distracted. If the ball goes down the leg side for what would have normally been called a wide, then it should be called wide, not dead ball, as even if the batsman was distracted there was no opportunity for him to play a shot to it.

In the South Africa test where the precedent was set the first three were not called. It was only once Graeme Smith approached the umpire saying that he found it distracting that the umpire started to call it dead.

In the Super 8 match James Franklin did not make any such complaint, as as a result the law was applied incorrectly.

Incorrect interpretation of this rule cost New Zealand significantly in the last game. It would be crazy if it continued to be ruled incorrectly throughout the rest of the tournament. This is not something that the MCC Laws sub-committee needs to look at. The law is clear, and just needs to be applied correctly.