The Graeme Smith Incident

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lewissaffin

lewissaffin

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The Graeme Smith Incident

The Graeme Smith incident has lead to everyone being in the wrong for one reason or another.

The first time I saw it live, I jumped out of my seat and celebrated the first wicket. I was very surprised to see Graeme Smith looking so unimpressed at such a big appeal and was also surprised to see it given not out. The referral turned out to be unsuccessful, even though the noise was clear as a bell. As I said though, the whole incident has put everyone concerned in to the wrong.

Graeme Smith: He is in the wrong for not walking. It is a batsman's duty to walk if he knows that he should be out and it hasn't been given. It was just not cricket to see him stay his ground.

Daryl Harper: Two very contentious decisions in two days should see his reputation seriously undermined. Yesterday he gave Alastair Cook out LBW on a no-ball. That is an acceptable mistake. Today, he gave Graeme Smith not out for what could clearly be heard to be a nick, after referral. Two in two days should be accepted as human error by England but the fact that SABC's pictures and audio failed England was inevitably suspicious.

SABC: They supplied Daryl Harper with the pictures and the sound. Seeing as how they are "cash-strapped", they can't afford Hotspot or Snicko and have to make do with just the picture and audio. Daryl Harper then had the sound up to 4 out of 10 and the moron didn't think to turn it up at all.

England: They are rightfully aggrieved but lodging an official complaint to the International Cricket Council is slightly extreme for two poor decisions.

Anyway, that's my two cents on the issue. I'd love to hear other opinions.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

I can understand your feelings , big moment in the game. I would also be disappointed.

In regards to Smith; there is no law stating that he has to walk, going back many years there have rarely been a player that consistantly does it (Gilchrist is the only one that comes to mind). I have and still do play a high level of cricket and my thoughts are the umpires are being paid to do the job. Its not my job to make it easier for it. Yes there is a gentlemans agreement that you should walk, but really no-one ever does.

I am not a fan of the referal system. Basicly you take the good decisions with the bad decisions and move on. My belief is the international umpiring standard will head south with them knowing if they make a poor decision they have technology backing them up.

Finally I find it laughable some of the comments in some of the articles. Andy Flower has said that Harper muted the volume on on the replays. how does he know this information? England are clutching at straws by lodging a complaint. There are other factors that Harper would of taken into consideration; deviation of the ball as it moves past the bat, how close the ball and bat are together.

Welcome to the site :)
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

lewissaffin;384541 said:
The Graeme Smith incident has lead to everyone being in the wrong for one reason or another.

The first time I saw it live, I jumped out of my seat and celebrated the first wicket. I was very surprised to see Graeme Smith looking so unimpressed at such a big appeal and was also surprised to see it given not out. The referral turned out to be unsuccessful, even though the noise was clear as a bell. As I said though, the whole incident has put everyone concerned in to the wrong.

Graeme Smith: He is in the wrong for not walking. It is a batsman's duty to walk if he knows that he should be out and it hasn't been given. It was just not cricket to see him stay his ground.

Daryl Harper: Two very contentious decisions in two days should see his reputation seriously undermined. Yesterday he gave Alastair Cook out LBW on a no-ball. That is an acceptable mistake. Today, he gave Graeme Smith not out for what could clearly be heard to be a nick, after referral. Two in two days should be accepted as human error by England but the fact that SABC's pictures and audio failed England was inevitably suspicious.

SABC: They supplied Daryl Harper with the pictures and the sound. Seeing as how they are "cash-strapped", they can't afford Hotspot or Snicko and have to make do with just the picture and audio. Daryl Harper then had the sound up to 4 out of 10 and the moron didn't think to turn it up at all.

England: They are rightfully aggrieved but lodging an official complaint to the International Cricket Council is slightly extreme for two poor decisions.

Anyway, that's my two cents on the issue. I'd love to hear other opinions.
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come off it mate.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

Your not serious are you.

For a start there is no obligation for batsmen to walk. Why should they? Bowlers appeal, the umpire gives a decision. Walking creates more dramas then its worth.

Smith was well within his rights to stand his ground.

England can feel pissed off, sure, I would be to. However, to say that Harper didn't give it out because he had not turned up his tele is a bit rich, that is drawing a long bow without any solid evidence.

This incident should prompt the ICC to big in regulations regarding the host broadcaster and the equipment in use and the qualifications of the technicans processing this stuff out in the vans.

Watching the SABC broadcast here in Australia really brings home how good the Ch 9 production is. The whole thing here in Australia is way more professional then what is shown in South Africa.

England in the series have benefitted from their fair share of luck, I don't know what making an offical complaint is going to do to be honest.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;384549 said:
Your not serious are you.

For a start there is no obligation for batsmen to walk. Why should they? Bowlers appeal, the umpire gives a decision. Walking creates more dramas then its worth.
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In England, there is a mutual obligation for the batsman to walk if they know they are out but have not been given it. It's just the mature thing to do. I'm not saying that English batsmen always walk because, unfortunately, they don't. At least, that is how it is at test level. At a club level in England., more people walk than not.

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;384549 said:
England can feel pissed off, sure, I would be to. However, to say that Harper didn't give it out because he had not turned up his tele is a bit rich, that is drawing a long bow without any solid evidence.
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I don't know all the minor details of the whole debacle because the BBC is very politically correct in what they say and stay annoyingly on the fence. After that, you are left with a bunch of lefties to read the news from, or moronic tabloids. The whole "4 out of 10" thing was proven by the Sri Lankan match referee so, personally, I would class that as solid evidence.

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;384549 said:
This incident should prompt the ICC to bring in regulations regarding the host broadcaster and the equipment in use and the qualifications of the technicians processing this stuff out in the vans.
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I completely agree with you. With SABC very strapped for money, they should have used Sky Sports or some better South African broadcaster.

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;384549 said:
Watching the SABC broadcast here in Australia really brings home how good the Ch 9 production is. The whole thing here in Australia is way more professional then what is shown in South Africa.
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I agree with you there, too. Channel 9's coverage is brilliant and, in some ways, I prefer watching Channel 9's coverage of Australia vs Pakistan than Sky Sports' coverage of England vs South Africa. In my opinion, Sky has the better commentators (Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, David Lloyd, Shaun Pollock, Michael Holding and, back during the Ashes, Shane Warne), all of whom are fantastically insightful and entertaining in their own way. However, the graphics which Channel 9 uses are much better than the stuff that Sky uses.

LIONS then DAYLIGHT;384549 said:
England in the series have benefited from their fair share of luck, I don't know what making an official complaint is going to do to be honest.
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We are drifting slightly off-topic, and, yes, I'd agree with you that England have had their own luck in this series which makes me wonder why we are lodging an official complaint. As I said, it is quite suspicious and that is the only reason I can think of.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

I must be honest this is the first time that I have heard of the mutual obligation to walk. Alas it is a professional sport and batsman walk based on their own beliefs.

The SABC is the host broadcaster and will be it to kingdom come as they show all home games to the nations so dont expect Sky or Supersport to get the broadcast soon. But I have given up years ago on them and watch local cricket on Supersport and even sometimes listen to the Sky commentators.

I will also say that Supersports commentators Allan Donald, Darryll Cullinan, Robin Jackman David Lloyd and Geoff Boycott is not all that bad but Channel Nine is on a different level.

So it is fair to say that this test match will be remembered for Harpers knock on ..
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

Believe it or not Tony Greig was actually talking about the mutual obligation to walk during the current test match in Hobart. He said when he played it was widespread at county level but he said he instructed his international teammates to stand their ground during international test matchs.

Basically, from all the stuff I have read this appears to be an honest mistake that probably stems from SABC's incompetence. During the SA V Aus series last year Ricky Ponting referred a decision that was unable to be checked because the vision had been 'lost' by the SABC.

Furthermore, there were numerous incidents of sloppy camera work during the coverage and poor production.

The notion that Harper didn't hear the knick because he had muted his tv is out of order, especially when you consider the original feed seen by the SABC commentators including Hoggard had no sound at all when the ball passed the bat.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

Harper is the most incompetent umpire in world cricket and he has shown it on multiple occassions in this match alone and over the years he has always been around when the shockers occur
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

Harper is the worst umpire in World cricket.
I went to a sportsmans night a couple of years ago and an ex high ranking umpire was the guest speaker. When asked who, in his opinion was the best? We were told that no one was in the same league as Taufell. The same applied to the worst. Harper by a million miles. He was said to be nothing short of a ladder climber, a suckhole and too terrified to make the hard decision.
So, we have the best and the worst umpires in World cricket!
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

lewissaffin;384596 said:
In England, there is a mutual obligation for the batsman to walk if they know they are out but have not been given it. It's just the mature thing to do. I'm not saying that English batsmen always walk because, unfortunately, they don't. At least, that is how it is at test level. At a club level in England., more people walk than not.
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And that should happen at all levels.

If a batsman is out and they know it, they should walk.

This is in essence a rule. It's just that it is not enforceable. Half the reason for referrals was that it was meant to make batsmen walk if they know they are out, because otherwise the opposition will refer it and you will be out for sure. But instead batsmen are looking for glitches in the system to keep them alive.

The essence is, anyone playing cricket anywhere should know that cricket isn't officiated by the umpires. The captains and players control the match. The umpires just make the decisions that the players can't make while they are playing.

Unfortunately people haven't noticed that and the game is turning more and more like other sports where the umpires and referees are the be all and end all of the match.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

I dont walk because you take the good with the bad and you wont get a reprieve when incorrectly given out
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

eddiesmith;384677 said:
I dont walk because you take the good with the bad and you wont get a reprieve when incorrectly given out
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The umpire is never wrong remember.

Even if they make a shocking decision it is still the 'right' decision and so you have to play on.

I'm not talking walk if you are given not out and you know you are. I'm saying you walk before the umpire gives a judgment.

It's a little different at international level though, such is the competition. But if you walk, the umpires will remember you. Gilchrist for example got off not out with a few tight decisions that another batsman on the same day would have been given out.

Plus your public relations will be much higher.

Who in the world hates Gilly?

Only good things can come from walking (except for the immediate actually being out that is).
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

eddiesmith;384677 said:
I dont walk because you take the good with the bad and you wont get a reprieve when incorrectly given out
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I totally agree with this. The English players wouldn't tell Smith to stay in if they saw he hit his pad and they appealed and he was given out, so there is no obligation for him to walk.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

eddiesmith;384677 said:
I dont walk because you take the good with the bad and you wont get a reprieve when incorrectly given out
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Have to agree with this, the fielding side will appeal when the ball has flicked your shirt, everyone just joins in screaming howzat when they don't even have a clue.. it's simply a leveler.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

Kram81;384733 said:
Have to agree with this, the fielding side will appeal when the ball has flicked your shirt, everyone just joins in screaming howzat when they don't even have a clue.. it's simply a leveler.
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Or they appeal when your bat smashes the pitch and misses the ball yet the umpire gives you out...

Funniest thing was having a bowler appeal earlier when the same thing happened yet he failed to realise the keeper had dropped it :D
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

Pity they haven't got Bob Willis on commentory, he despises Harper... Watch the videos of him on youtube tearing into harper and tiffin, worth a laugh imo,,, but Harper is a disgrace and i thought the whole point of the elite panel was to keep retards like him at county and state level.
 
Re: The Graeme Smith Incident

I would think that he might lose his elite status over this matter .. it seems that he is a trouble as he does not want to make the tough decisions. I think the case for home umpires need to be considered why should Marais Erasmus and the General not be allowed to stand in South African games. Almost like Taufel not being able to stand for Australian matches.
 
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