Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly praised umpire Dave Orchard for the rare gesture of recalling a batsman after being adjudged out and urged the empowering of the third umpire to overrule if a wrong call is made in the middle.
After his side registered an emphatic 10-wicket victory over Kenya in a one-day match of the tri-series on Friday, Ganguly said that he was happy that Orchard recalled Thomas Obuya after he was told by the third umpire that the batsman was not out. After he (Obuya) was given out, Orchard was told on his walkie-talkie by third umpire Wilf Diedricks that it was a wrong decision and he had no hesitation in reversing his decision, Ganguly said. Ganguly said he was not consulted but he did not feel there was any need for it.
Though there is no ruling on the issue, conduct demands an umpire must consult the fielding captain before any reversal of decision. Ganguly admitted it would have been a test of character had it been a big game and a win was on line.
The Indian skipper, who was given out in controversial circumstances in the second match against South Africa when Jacques Kallis seemed to have taken a catch at second slip but TV replays showed otherwise, said he was in favour of empowering the third umpire to use his jurisdiction in case there was a mess-up in the middle. Bureau Report