The domestic season in England is well under way and in the Friends Provident one day series, where the players play in pyjamas and have silly American Football style names like “Sussex Sharks” and “Yorkshire Phoenix”. Well the one day game has taken a turn for the bizarre by the introduction of the “referral” system, whereby each team can refer decisions made by the on-field umpire to the off-field third umpire, who has the benefit of the television replay.

Well, Darrell Hair for one thing. After he was spectacularly given the arse for his involvement in Ovalgate, it seems the ICC still haven’t quite figured out what to do with him, or even how to treat its members. It’s about time the ICC grew a backbone, rather than fannying around so much. If after the trial they decided that Hair wasn’t fit to do his job, they should have just sacked him, end of story. If they thought he was fit to do his job, he should be umpiring as usual, end of story. But instead, they’ve ended …read more

It seems whatever the peeps at the ICC were smoking has run out, and they’ve started thinking a little more clearly again. (I almost said “started talking sense again”, but that would have been wildly inaccurate.)
Thank God that’s over with. (For now, at least.)
(I seem to be justifying a lot of things I say with bracketed subnotes. And use many rhetorical questions. Isn’t that weird?)