Umpire ‘distraught’ over incorrect no-ball

Australia

Umpire Richard Illingworth was apparently 'distraught' after realising that his match-changing no-ball call in the first Test between New Zealand and Australia was incorrect, according to match referee Chris Broad.

The incident happened when Australia batsman Adam Voges was on seven in his side's one and only innings. Doug Bracewell bowled Voges, but Illingworth called a no-ball. Bracewell's heel was well behind the line, and Voges went on to score a double century.

A no-ball cannot be retracted after the fact, so there was no recourse to change it according to ICC regulations.

Broad told the Daily Telegraph: "Unfortunately Richard was distraught afterwards when he realised that it wasn't a no ball. I think when anyone is proved wrong in any decision that they make it's clearly embarrassing at the time.

"But umpires, particularly on the elite panel have a great ability to be able to overcome that feeling and get on with the game.

"There can be nothing done about it. The problem is that when an umpire calls a no-ball, you can't change that decision because under the laws a batsman may change his shot when the no-ball is called.

"It was called – that's the end of the matter. Richard is a Yorkshireman, he shrugs his shoulders and gets on with it. I'm constantly amazed at how the umpires, when they do make their occasional errors, are able to recover from it."

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson was calm about the matter, saying the game had ups and downs for everyone. He did say that technology should be used to call no-balls though.

Hesson said: "The more decisions right the better. "f we can use more technology to do that then decisions like that become less influential. It's something the ICC are aware of and will discuss.

"The game's about swings and roundabouts, sometimes you get a bit of fortune sometimes you don't. In this situation many batsmen get a reprieve but some are good enough to make the most of it and Adam Voges certainly made the most of it."

Australia latest-news New Zealand

Latest