TTCB president Bassarath backs under-fire umpire

AZIM BASSARATH, president of the TT Cricket Board (TTCB), has backed under-fire TT umpire Joel Wilson, who has been criticised for a number of debatable decisions during the current Ashes series between hosts England and Australia.

The 52-year-old Wilson gave a not out decision for a LBW (leg before wicket) call on England batsman Ben Stokes by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyons during the final stages of the third Test at Headingley, Leeds on Sunday.

The Australians were without a review left after two unsuccessful DRS (Decision Review System) calls, but the decision on Stokes – with two runs still needed for victory – would have been overturned on review.

The Australian media, cricket fans on social media, and even ex-England skipper Michael Vaughan and experienced commentator Mike Haysman subsequently criticised Wilson’s decision. Writing on The Telegraph, Vaughan noted, “Wilson had to use his common sense at that moment and give Stokes out to Lyon. England had one review left. They could have checked his decision and nobody would have had a grumble.”

Haysman, on his Twitter page, wrote, “I still can’t work out how Wilson couldn’t give that out. Plumb.”

Wilson, as well as Pakistan’s Aleem Dar, faced severe flak for numerous overturned decisions during the First Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. He was the third umpire during the second Test at Lord’s, London when Australia’s substitute Marnus Labuschagne was adjudged caught by Joe Root at midwicket off Jack Leach, even though the television replays were inconclusive.

Bassarath, in an interview yesterday, said, “As a former umpire and (current) president of the Board, I would like to lend my support to Joel. As an umpire, you can have a bad match. He had a bad game but that doesn’t mean to say that Joel is a bad umpire. “There were some mistakes that were made. However, what people seem to forget were some of the excellent decisions that (were) made. They seem not to see that. Sometimes you go through rough times and sometimes you’re on top of the world.

“I’m quite sure he has the support from the umpiring fraternity. We know that Joel is an excellent umpire and I’m quite sure he’ll get over this and he’ll come out on top.”

In late July, Wilson was added to the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s elite panel for umpires for 2019-2020. Bassarath is urging aspiring TT and regional umpires to not be deterred by Wilson’s misfortunes during the Ashes.

“We have a bunch of excellent umpires coming up,” Bassarath said. “Three or four of them are already on the International B panel and I’m quite sure they would have known that sometimes they’ll come under this type of scrutiny.

“I think that they are well-prepared,” he continued. “As chairman of the Cricket West Indies umpires and match referees committee, we are going to do some work in preparing them for the big games and tournaments.

“They can rest assured that Cricket West Indies is going to look and enhance their performance on the field.” Australian coach Justin Langer said during the post-match media conference, “The umpire should make the decision he thinks is right regardless of reviews in my opinion. If they think it’s out they should give it, if they don’t they should give it not out. The review system is as it is and sometimes they go your way, sometimes they don’t.”

Langer’s former international captain Ricky Ponting, and ex-Pakistan opening batsman Ramiz Raja, both called for the ICC to end their use of neutral umpires during the First Test at Birmingham.