Unexpected toss drama in final
Source: Agencies |
April 3, 2011, Sunday
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THE toss, usually a mundane affair, caused confusion all around yesterday and had to be performed twice before the start of the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka.
The boisterous crowd at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium gave a rousing welcome to Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Sri Lankan counterpart Kumar Sangakkara when they walked out for the toss, with both eager to bat first and avoid a potentially tricky chase under the lights.
Flanked by former Indian allrounder Ravi Shastri, who was hosting the toss, and match referee Jeff Crowe, Dhoni spun the coin in the air and Sangakkara mumbled his call which was drowned out by the din.
Dhoni was under the impression that Sangakkara called it incorrectly and told Shastri India would bat. However, Crowe said he had not heard Sangakkara's call.
A few seconds of confusion followed as the two captains shrugged their shoulders and exchange bemused looks before Crowe called for a re-toss, which went Sangakkara's way and the gleeful Sri Lankan captain had no hesitation in choosing to bat first.
With so much riding on the toss, and with conflicting reports emerging on what Sangakkara's first call had been, some former players accused the Sri Lankan captain of gamesmanship.
"Sangakkara has stuffed Dhoni... He shouted tail in the first toss and lost it ...You can hear it in on air," former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote on his Twitter page.
"I hear tails shout at the toss... Others hear heads... Inconclusive on the replays."
He was more forthright in BBC Test Match Special commentary. "I think there was a bit of skullduggery (sic) at the toss - Kumar Sangakkara knew he'd lost that first toss but he saw Dhoni hadn't really heard him!"
The comical situation baffled former India player Sanjay Manjrekar, too. "Who would have expected that in the big finals?" asked the player-turned-commentator.
This is the second World Cup final in succession in which Crowe has been dogged by controversy.
Crowe was the match referee in Bridgetown, Barbados, four years ago when Australia and Sri Lanka were sent back on to the field amid farcical scenes during the rain-reduced match.
Australia was already celebrating its third final win in a row when the teams were asked to play a further three overs in near total darkness even though the match had already been completed under international cricket rules. Crowe, a former New Zealand captain, later admitted he had been mistaken.
The boisterous crowd at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium gave a rousing welcome to Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Sri Lankan counterpart Kumar Sangakkara when they walked out for the toss, with both eager to bat first and avoid a potentially tricky chase under the lights.
Flanked by former Indian allrounder Ravi Shastri, who was hosting the toss, and match referee Jeff Crowe, Dhoni spun the coin in the air and Sangakkara mumbled his call which was drowned out by the din.
Dhoni was under the impression that Sangakkara called it incorrectly and told Shastri India would bat. However, Crowe said he had not heard Sangakkara's call.
A few seconds of confusion followed as the two captains shrugged their shoulders and exchange bemused looks before Crowe called for a re-toss, which went Sangakkara's way and the gleeful Sri Lankan captain had no hesitation in choosing to bat first.
With so much riding on the toss, and with conflicting reports emerging on what Sangakkara's first call had been, some former players accused the Sri Lankan captain of gamesmanship.
"Sangakkara has stuffed Dhoni... He shouted tail in the first toss and lost it ...You can hear it in on air," former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote on his Twitter page.
"I hear tails shout at the toss... Others hear heads... Inconclusive on the replays."
He was more forthright in BBC Test Match Special commentary. "I think there was a bit of skullduggery (sic) at the toss - Kumar Sangakkara knew he'd lost that first toss but he saw Dhoni hadn't really heard him!"
The comical situation baffled former India player Sanjay Manjrekar, too. "Who would have expected that in the big finals?" asked the player-turned-commentator.
This is the second World Cup final in succession in which Crowe has been dogged by controversy.
Crowe was the match referee in Bridgetown, Barbados, four years ago when Australia and Sri Lanka were sent back on to the field amid farcical scenes during the rain-reduced match.
Australia was already celebrating its third final win in a row when the teams were asked to play a further three overs in near total darkness even though the match had already been completed under international cricket rules. Crowe, a former New Zealand captain, later admitted he had been mistaken.
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