The late, great Dean Jones is still getting cricket’s top thinkers to consider making the game better with his idea to reposition the square-leg umpire floated in the wake of the no-ball dramas at the First Ashes Test.
Seven commentator Tim Lane brought up in commentary on day three Jones’ radical idea to switch the square-leg umpire to mid-on so they can adjudicate front-foot no-balls.
Cricket legends Sir Ian Botham and Ricky Ponting were fuming over the set-up in place for the Test at the Gabba, which due to technical issues meant Ben Stokes’ frequent no-balls were not called and the third umpire only stepped in to recall David Warner after he was dismissed on day two for 17.
Former ICC umpire Simon Taufel said the square-leg umpire would get in the way of fielders if positioned in line with the bowling crease and rejected the notion that they were obsolete because many of their decisions get referred for a review.
“I think it’s a fallacy to think the square-leg umpire doesn’t do anything,” he said.
“They do a lot of decision making at square leg, you can just take an umpire out of the game and reposition them.”
Taufel added the umpires have an expectation “that there are zero errors and that hasn’t been met in that regard” and called on the ICC to review the playing conditions.
Botham said a fixed camera should be installed ASAP.
“You would have thought nowadays with the technology there’d be some way of just a buzzer going off when you go over the line,” he said.
“Just a camera in line with it. As soon as you go over, it automatically touches a buzzer or someone does and the umpire stops it.”
Ponting said there needed to be “a back-up plan because we can’t just leave it to the on-field umpires”.
“We can’t afford to have another 20 no-balls missed in a game. They’ve got to find another way.
“If it takes a few seconds, if it’s relayed back to the on-field umpires, then so be it. But what I saw yesterday is not acceptable at international level.”
Root notches record as England fight back
Many expected England to crumble again in the second innings and the match to be over by stumps on Day 3.
But England showed they do have some fight which is just what the series needed. After his first-innings duck Joe Root notched a 50 and in the process overtook Michael Vaughan as England’s greatest run-scorer in a calendar year.
Root surpassed the magical 1500 runs in the calendar year mark and he could match the all-time record before the year is out which is currently held by Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf with 1788 runs.
By stumps on Day 3 England trailed Australia by just 58 runs with Root and Dawid Malan sharing in an unbeaten 159-run partnership. Root was 86 not out with Malan on 80 and more importantly England have eight wickets in the shed to erase the deficit and set something for Australia to chase.
Waugh on warpath over Poms’ tactics
Earlier, Mark Waugh has lashed England’s tactics in the field against Australia as the hosts piled on a first innings of 425 to take a 278-run lead on day three of the Ashes Test in Brisbane.
The tourists exhausted their bowling stocks and were forced to chase leather in the field deep into the morning session on Friday before Travis Head’s slashing knock finally came to an end, chasing quick runs on 152.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Waugh did not hold back on Fox Cricket commentary, saying Joe Root’s side looked all at sea.
“I feel that the England camp have lacked the feel for the game. They’ve got all their stats, no doubt about that but you’ve got to have a feel for what’s happening out in the middle.
“I think they’ve got their tactics wrong most of the game, England.
“I would’ve bowled a lot more around the wicket to Warner yesterday.”
Waugh said Head should have been targeted with a bumper barrage.
“With Travis Head I’m surprised they haven’t sustained some short-pitched bowling to him,” he said.
“They’ve bowled the odd short one but I would have liked to have seen them persist with that more. “Theyve had two men back, a leg gully – we’ve seen him get caught out to a short ball quite a bit whether it’s caught at third man or fending. They haven’t made it hard enough for the Australian batsmen.”
Barmy Army voices support for Paine
Former Australian captain Tim Paine gained some support from an unlikely source with the Barmy Army getting behind the Tasmanian keeper.
The Barmy Army unveiled a banner on day two of the Test at the Gabba saying they were behind him as he deals with the emotional burden of his recent resignation due to a 2018 sexting incident.
“Mental health does not define you. Your strength and courage does. Get well soon mate.”
Alex Carey made his Test debut in Paine’s absence in Brisbane and although it’s unlikely Paine will play for Australia again after taking an indefinite leave from the game, coach Justin Langer has left the door open for him to return.
The Barmy Army have made themselves heard at the Gabba with their chanting and singing even though travel restrictions have reduced their usual size dramatically.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Got to signal 2 to come to each other after four deliveries.
Simoc
Roar Rookie
Fast bowlers generally aren't the smartest folk around. I mean why would anyone race in, bust their body to bowl a long hop to someone like me who has set them up to do it. They are entertaining which is why I like them and batting against them (apart from Johnson) is fun below the top rung. They could bowl long balls like spinners do but haven't thought of it yet. But it will come in.
AndyS
Guest
I'd only say it's dumb in that it would be very difficult to call the no-ball in time for the batsmen to react, although that is probably not much of a thing at the top level anyway. It does beg the question as to the point of the square leg umpire though...what single thing would they call without reference to the TMO? Apart from giving them a bit of time to relax focus, I wonder if there is really much justification for two umps any more.
AndyS
Guest
Bit of a dumb comparison with a golfer teeing his ball. Probably better to compare it to how a long jumper never goes over the board, or a footy player never kicks out on the full. Timing and rhythm are everything, and it doesn't take much to get things slightly wrong. At which point it should certainly be called.
Tony Tea
Roar Rookie
Dean Jones with yet another dumb idea. Just because it's different, doesn't make is right.
Adzy
Roar Rookie
Get tv umpire to watch and tell umpire through earpiece. Let the Umpire just focus down the wicket.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
I though the front foot rule was brought in to stop the spate of "Long Draggers" who landed legally and dragged their back foot along, so by they time they delivered the front foot was well forward of the popping crease.
Adam
Roar Guru
Please tell me about batsmen
Kolya
Guest
Played organised cricket from the age of 7 onwards. I can honestly say I never bowled a no ball. In my eyes, the bowlers that do are trying to always bowl balls right on the edge. They try and bowl to the millimetre to just keeping their heel behind the line. I have my doubts how effective that theory is. You should never bowl a no ball, like a golfer should never tee up a ball in front of the markers. Its really simple to follow. Just make it the rule that you cannot touch the line with your front foot and must be completely behind it. Or just bring back the old back foot rule which was the normal practice for centuries. The only reason they brought the front foot rule in was guys like Wes Hall were so tall that their front foots would end up half a metre in front of the front line. Batsmen meanwhile can bat where-ever the Dickens they please which is criminal in my book. Don't get me started on batsmen.