Officials who stood in the World Cup final which concluded in controversial manner
are likely to be overlooked for the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup.
On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Steve Bucknor, television umpire
Rudi Koertzen, reserve umpire Billy Bowden and match referee Jeff
Crowe may have to sit out of the September tournament, to be hosted by South
Africa, as a consequence of their blunder, 'Herald Sun' reported today.
However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has neither
confirmed nor denied the report and said a decision on who would stand in the
Twenty20 World Cup would not be made until next month.
ICC spokesman Samiul Hasan said last night "we are not
in a position to confirm or deny this." The World Cup finale became a subject
of hot debate after the teams, Australia and Sri Lanka, were recalled to the
field in semidarkness to complete the remaining overs in the rain affected match.
Dar, Koertzen, Bucknor, Bowden and Crowe ignored the rule that
once each side has played 20 overs, the match would be considered to have been
completed in case play was interrupted permanently.
Dar, on the advice of Koertzen, told the Australians that the
teams would have to return to the field the following day, rest day, to complete
the remaining three overs.
The ground announcer in the meantime had declared Australia
as winners, prompting celebrations among Ricky Ponting's men. But after Bowden
brief Ponting about the 'rules', the teams agreed to play in dark and finish
the match.
The furore that followed the incident forced ICC chief executive
Malcolm Speed to issue an apology.
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