Billy Bowden opinions

Do you think he made a fair call ???
I think he is mad
bad decision looking for problems
controversy ,lucky its not Clairwood or the game would have ended.

If this game was in India there would have been a riot.

If it was an SA batsmen he would not have been given out.

FROM THE EXPERTS...........cricinfo.com.


Tsotsobe to Imran Farhat, 1 run, OUT, flicked away from off, with the angle, and they are appealing for obstructing the field. This is placed to the right of long leg, Farhat is adamant about the second, Hafeez is slow to turn, and he starts running with half an eye on the throw coming from the keeper to the bowler, and is hit by the throw. Hafeez has altered his course only slightly, but that is good enough to rule a batsman out under the new playing conditions. Hafeez is livid as he goes back; possibly he feels he didn't alter significantly or intentionally but he did alter the line of running if only slightly. First man to be given out obstructing the field after the new playing conditions were introduced ..........


Just out of interest,how likely was Hafeez to be out if he didn't alter his course? I'm sure he's livid but no doubt he would have done the same thing if he was fielding" Exactly, Geoff. And this dismissal is not at all about whether you would have got out. This is a dismissal in principle. At any rate, he was a goner in this case ................



Just to reiterate to the readers who seem very angry about Hafeez dismissal, there has been a clear addition to the playing conditions saying that if a batsman alters his path when running and is hit by the throw he is out obstructing the field. So Hafeez was clearly out ...

Go read rule 37. It's the law, if we agree or not, he's out. He changed his direction of running preventing SA to try and get a run-out. It has happened 4 times in the history of the game.....the 3rd Pakistan player involved. : Bowden is 1 of the world's best umpires, and I know if it was a SA player, he would have been gone quicker than any other player in the world. Jmho.

I agree; according to the current rule the ump had to give him out; looks like it's not only racing that is plagued by controversial rules - imo how can a batsmen get given out in these circumstances when it is not even clear that the ball would have hit the stumps - not a great rule imo - what about the benefit going to the batsmen in most other cases?

I thought it was harsh as I have seen far worse. Just as well Pakistan won in the end as it would have been an injustice. Makes for a fascinating final match over the weekend where SA will have to bring their A game because Pakistan are at their dangerous best when they are confident.