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Monday 25th February, 2008 15 Smith's 62 puts Safs on top Boucher leads wicketkeeper dismissals with 417 DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - South Africa Guys, the circus captain Graeme Smith has steered his side to the brink of a surprisingly hard-fought victory over Bangladesh in the first test, with the tourists needing only 27 more runs with six wick- ets in hand in the final innings. Chasing a target of 205 for victory after bowling out Bangladesh for 182 in its second innings, South Africa was 178-4 at stumps on Saturday's third day - with Ashwell Prince (24) and A.B. de Villiers (8) at the crease. is in town South Africa's Jacques Kallis gave his team the upper hand Saturday, completing a five- riticism of members of the become obvious, and are all part that moolah from which the play- the TV deals and here, as with wicket haul to destroy Bangladesh's tail in the elite umpires panel, of the scenario. Ignoring the ers will benefit, there are certain greedy politicians, there are those morning session, ensuring his side had a man- CYahaluweni, is far from problem that age has opened up advantages for the system as long already climbing in with eyes on ageable total to chase for victory. On a good day for the tourists, Mark new. someone such as a player or as it works within the time limit what they can make out of the Boucher also reclaimed the world record for There is rarely a Test series umpire to making regular mis- planned for this type of game. companies involved in advertis- wicketkeeper dismissals. these days where there is no takes, is a dangerous tendency. It While glitz and showy glam- ing. Kickbacks and other fancy mumbling, grumbling and highly damages the credibility of a once our and Bollywood-style pinups tricks will be used to fatten bank miffed players or by the media proud reputation as well as his may jazz up the façade of the IPL accounts, in some cases in off- over decisions. dignity. at the bidding of players for the shore accounts. The higher profile the Test Bucknor's error in Dhaka was franchises, and manoeuvre it in a If comments from Indian series, the more attention is paid not an elementary one. This com- new direction, the marketing of sources are accurate, it appears to decisions made by the umpires ment was from a Bangladesh offi- T-20 as a new generation fad there are those who have already and the on-field antics by the cial attempting to divert the criti- needs to be carefully monitored been seduced by the money avail- players. Controversy stirs the pot cism the decision elicited and by responsible administrators able. The danger here is how the and grabs attention. others further afield began to who are in it for the game and cartel type moguls, only interest- But when on glancing up at ed in the money available, have the TV screen on Saturday morn- taken control. ing from reading the latest Sri An examination since the Lanka batting debacle Down 1970s shows how this has affected Under, what caught the attention football's image in Europe and the was umpire Steve Bucknor's deci- British Isles. It created first a hys- sion to signal the dismissal of terical rivalry and culture that is young AB de Villiers. It has been evident on the terraces with its called bizarre. Frankly, it is ugly intentions: thuggery and acutely reminiscent of play- rolling brawling masses outside ground cheating. any number of venues; where the If there were doubts about use of bad language and racist Boucher's four catches moved Bucknor's credibility, which sur- taunts and chants and xenophobia him back into the lead for wicket- keeper dismissals with 417, one faced well before last year's World is encouraged. ahead of just-retired Australian Cup final fiasco in the Caribbean, It is an image that despite foot- keeper Adam Gilchrist. (File Photo) there is no doubt now that it's ball's big drawing card allows for Captain Smith (62) anchored his side's time he was honourably retired such practices where in some chase, guiding the tourists to 125-1 before from the panel. The evidence of Steve Bucknor Simon Taufel countries, no control to curb such Bangladesh claimed three quick wickets to culpability was enough for even racial intolerance is exercised. renew hopes of what would be only its second match referee Ranjan Madugalle take an interest in the Jamaican not the money. Football's international body test win. to perhaps quietly whisper in the umpire's fumbling performance. This is one of the more impor- doesn't as vigorously impose the Mohammad Rafique finally trapped Smith Jamaican's ear that it's time to It was totally inept and is sad and tant elements in the game's 21st anti-race card as does the ICC. (62) lbw. Rafique next had Hashim Amla (46) quit. disappointing to see. century image with two major As for the Asia version of caught at slip by Junaid Siddique, with the score at 144. Without any further addition, Kallis (7) But there he was quite happily It is now time for the ICC to international competing formats CWC11, the full member ICC was caught at deep square leg. signalling to De Villiers that he pension off Bucknor before he that brings together a galaxy of nations chief executives knew Another wicket would have exposed South was out. And this after the ball, makes further major fundamen- top players, all bought for a price. changes had to be made to the for- Africa's tail in fading light, but Prince and De scuttling low, bounced twice tal errors and to give him the role The danger is overkill in an mat. After the often laborious and Villiers held out, ensuring the match went into a before the batsman, attempting a of coaching future West Indian adrenalin-charged arena of one at one stage lugubrious event in fourth day - an achievement in itself for minnows wild pull, managed a top-edge umpires. format against the other. the Caribbean, along with its far- Bangladesh. and the bowler, Mohammad As it is, former Indian Test Jonty Rhodes in some ways cical final, the game had to move Neil McKenzie (26) was the first batsman out, miscuing a pull shot to Habibul Bashar at Ashraful to a return catch. captain and member of the elite welcomed the bidding arrange- with this new century. It needs a square leg, off a delivery by Hossain. Naturally, De Villiers waited for panel, Srinivas ments, for despite its horse ring- new image and this requires Earlier in the day, Kallis completed his 5-30 the umpire, Bucknor, to signal Venktataraghavan, has along cattle market image, players were fancy marketing. haul as Bangladesh lost its final five wickets for and call dead ball. with Madugalle, David Lloyd and at least getting paid money they Although lessening the teams 34 runs. Imagine now, the row such a Dave Richardson been deserve. His view was to fourteen and shortening the Starting with an overnight score of 125-4, decision would have provoked tasked to select future that Jacques Kallis is event by nine days, moves partly Bangladesh added a further 23 runs before the The Chesterfield introduction of Kallis to the attack brought divi- had this been in a Test series elite panels. Well, that worth a million dollars in that direction, logistics also Files dends in his first over as he removed opener involving Australia, India, is the word emerging and was short-changed. play a role in keeping it still at Junaid Siddique (74), caught behind by England or even Sri Lanka. But from Dubai contacts. Okay, that's one view least three days longer than is Boucher. it's only a Test between What is worrying, from a respected former required. With both semi-finals From then on, the wickets fell at regular Bangladesh and South Africa, and this is where the star player. played in two separate countries intervals. Fellow South African Dale Steyn next which means apart from low-key media need to take Graeme Smith, maybe and the final in a third, travel trapped Aftab Ahmed (24) lbw in the first ball of TV coverage, the media presence stock of their own volu- not with too much tongue arrangements and consideration the next over, with the Bangladesh batsman choosing not to play a shot to a delivery that cut isn't as hyped as you would nor- ble criticism, the elite in cheek, welcomed the of the fitness of the players back into him. mally get. panel could be seriously idea of playing alongside involved need to be taken into Batsman Mushfiqur Rahim (2) was caught Sure, there was some South disrupted should Simon Shane Warne. This shows consideration. behind down the leg side by Boucher off a Kallis African remonstration at the dis- Taufel decide to quit at just how much more rhet- No matter how the event is delivery, to complete the loss of three wickets missal, but it had been made and the end of next month. oric there is in marketed and stylised, the main for three runs. now Bucknor, after the headline There are a few good Australian sledging than concern should be about the play- An inspired Kallis next clean bowled hype of the Sydney Test debacle umpires in the ICC the critics of sledging ers and the fatigue of too much Rafique (14), had Mashrafe bin Mortaza (11) caught at slip, and closed out the innings by seven weeks ago is back in the international B panel, by Trevor are prepared to admit.

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