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Worst Umpiring Decisions - Cricinfo article

Smudge

Hall of Fame Member
Coupla dates mixed-up there - the Shep and Doctrove instance was in 2001, not 2000, and UIMM the Goodall vs WI controversies were in 1979\80 not the mid-1980s.
The Goodall v WI controversies began in 1979/80 with the various incidents - Croft barging Goodall, Lloyd refusing to bring his team back out after lunch, and Holding kicking over the stumps - but the bad blood continued in 1986/7 when Viv Richards took over the role of chief antagoniser. Not the best form to reappoint Goodall for that series, but he was considered NZ's best umpire.

The tour had reached a new low. The second Test ended in a draw, as did the third. On the last day several West Indians had to be dissuaded from taking early flights home. The rancour lasted for years - especially as Fred Goodall was alleged to have made racist remarks about the tourists at an after-dinner speech.

Goodall: They could, I suppose, interpret what I said as a taunt. It was a flippant remark that could have been taken the wrong way and some people decided it was racist. When Vivian Richards captained the side in 1987, he wouldn't speak to me except to say: "We'll teach you to make fun of our people." It was very unpleasant.

Cameron: Goodall made several speaking engagements around the country after the Test series and made some biting and racial criticism of the West Indians. Viv Richards was aware of the angst even before he returned to New Zealand as captain of the next touring side.
http://content-www.cricinfo.com/wisdencricketer/content/story/241985.html

There's a good summation of the battle between Richards and Goodall in the Crowe brothers' book "The Crowe Style" released in about 1988, using the analogy of a heavyweight boxing fight.

Great photo of Holding, it has to be said:
 

shortpitched713

Cricketer Of The Year
I can't really remember any specifics, but I do remember Nathan Astle being given out caught behind once when he'd missed it by a mile - what had actually touched the ball was the drawstring on his pants...
Hes baaaaaaaaacccckkk!!!!!!

Good to see you've changed your mind about things, mate. Hope you stick around this time. :)
 

social

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Goodall: The other umpire came up to me and said: "I've got news for you and it's all bad.

Classic

Tom Brooks giving Graham Wood out caught behind at the WACA in 78/9 was really bad

Ball had hit one of the wide cracks and Wood missed it by at least 6 inches.

Unlike some others, Tom knew he was past his best and retired immediately after the game.

He carried on umpiring in grade matches and I still remember being umpired by him as a 13/14 year old in 4th grade - lovely old guy that gave coaching lessons to the youngsters on either side during breaks in play
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
Our 1998 series v SA seemed to have more than its fair share of shockers. Generally bad decisions are evenly spread ("Howler" Howell was at least even-handed in his direness in our summer and even Taufel wasn't unaffected either, giving Sachin LBW padding up to a Colly wobbler that would've missed off by six inches), but every dodgy decision went against the yarps in that one. Kallis was LBW off possibly the biggest edge (I hesitate to call it an edge even, the practically middled it into his pads) I've ever seen. Can't recall the bowler and CBA to look it up, but from memory it was one of the tests we won.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Our 1998 series v SA seemed to have more than its fair share of shockers. Generally bad decisions are evenly spread ("Howler" Howell was at least even-handed in his direness in our summer and even Taufel wasn't unaffected either, giving Sachin LBW padding up to a Colly wobbler that would've missed off by six inches), but every dodgy decision went against the yarps in that one. Kallis was LBW off possibly the biggest edge (I hesitate to call it an edge even, the practically middled it into his pads) I've ever seen. Can't recall the bowler and CBA to look it up, but from memory it was one of the tests we won.
Haha. Easy perception to get, but the actual figure for bad decisions that series was more against England (12) than against South Africa (11). The trouble was, all 11 of those against-SA decisions came in the last 2 Tests, which SA lost.

Javed Akhtar in the Headingley game was mentioned in the article, of course, but that game could perfectly conceivably have been a dead-rubber had Steve Dunne spotted that glove from Atherton off Donald on 27 in the Trent Bridge run-chase.

Of course, though, we mustn't forget that had it not rained at Edgbaston England might well have taken a 1-0 lead. Though we obviously mustn't forget, either, that all it would've taken was 1 more wicket for SA to have won at Old Trafford.

The only game that series that was left without what-ifs was Lord's - surprise-surprise, the one England lost. 8-)
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
Gilchrist was out to bad lbw decisions in both innings of that Test IIRR.

And to add to the plot, I think it was the same Umpire both times, who retired immediately after that Test.
 

thierry henry

International Coach
Brendan McCullum given out caught behind off Jason Gillespie in a test in Australia in 04/05. Similar to the Flintoff/Adams one

And, on the same tour but in the CH Series ODIs- McCullum LBW to Brad Hogg, having got a massive inside edge on a ball that would have been too high and missed leg stump by 6 inches anyway

Also, Sachin Tendulkar lbw to Shane Bond in an ODI in NZ in 02/03, Billy Bowden the umpire. Missed a cover drive and was struck on the pad miles outside off firmly on the front foot, given out.
 

thierry henry

International Coach
Being the pedant I am, I've found the commentary

37.1 Hogg to McCullum, OUT: plays back gets an inside edge, big shout
for LBW, Parker says he's out, Peter's eyes decieved him there I
think

29.4 Gillespie to McCullum, OUT: caught behind! pitched up just outside
off, draws McCullum into a drive, draws an outside edge, Gilchrist
collects

LOL LOL- obviously not a very observant commentator there

5.6 Bond to Tendulkar, OUT: getting forward, hit on the front foot,
perhaps outside the off stump and perhaps an inside edge, but it
is too late now, also playing a shot
 

chalky

International Debutant
Simon Taufel in rare shocker as TV umpire during the final test of the 1998/1999 Ashes series gave Michael Slater not out after he was run out, by at least a foot, by Dean Headley early in his innings. Slater had walked 1/2 way to the dressing room when the decision was made & Alec Stewart had to run after him & call him back.Infact it was so clear cut the commentators were asking why the official had called for the TV umpire.

Slater went on to make a great hundread (looked a class apart from the rest of the batsmen) & Australia won the test by just under a 100 runs

If England could have won that test they would have tied the series a very rare occurance in Australia in recent terms.

Really pissed me off that decision.

Robin smith was also done by the 3rd umpire in the 1995 world cup q/f against Sri Lanka. I think it was said that the umpire pressed the wrong button.:-O . That had no impact on the game what so ever though as England still would have been thrashed.
 
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