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December 27, 2011

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Debutant Cowan claims poor decisions turn game

TEST newcomer Ed Cowan believes Australia was on the verge of taking a commanding position against India until Mike Hussey fell victim to a dubious decision by umpire Marias Erasmus.

Hussey walked disgustedly from the field when he was ruled caught behind for a duck off Zaheer Khan, as television replays indicated the ball hit his shoulder. Australia could not challenge the decision under the Decision Reviews System because it is not being used in this series after the Indian cricket board raised concerns over its accuracy.

"It was a massive moment in the game," said Cowan, who marked his test debut by top-scoring on the first day with 68. "We'd had a 100-run partnership (with Ricky Ponting), wrestled back momentum, then almost a 50-run partnership. We felt we were half an hour away from really nailing them and grinding them into the dust."

Cowan became the third wicket to fall in just 19 deliveries when caught behind off Ravichandran Ashwin as Australia slid from 205-3 to 214-6, a decision that also appeared to carry a degree of doubt according to replays.

"It doesn't matter what game of cricket you play in, umpiring decisions always change the momentum of the game," Cowan said. "It doesn't matter if it's an MCG test match or me playing club cricket, that's the game. We all accept that. Today momentum went against us because of it. But that's the game, we'll take the good with the bad."

India also appeared to be victim of the lack of the review system when an lbw appeal by Khan was turned down with Haddin on 19. But paceman Umesh Yadav backed the decision not use the review system in the series.

"This is part of the game and I'd rather not talk about it," he said. "If there's a good (umpiring) decision or a bad decision, that's part of the game."

 

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