Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2013 Hotspot dumped for return Ashes series — report SYDNEY: The controversial Hotspot technology will not be available to umpires to review decisions in the upcom- ing Ashes series between Australia and England, its inven- tor Warren Brennan told local media. Hotspot, which uses infrared cameras to determine whether the ball has struck the batsman, bat or pad, was the subject of much contro- versy in the Ashes in England series earlier this year, which the hosts won 3-0. With a second series in Australia getting underway in Brisbane on Nov. 21, Brennan told the Sydney Morning Herald that the technology had been dumped by host broadcaster Channel Nine for cost reasons. “It’s their decision and that’s what’s been communicat- ed to us. As far as I’m concerned, it is final,” Brennan, a for- mer employee of Channel Nine, told the paper. “We’re just moving on with things. Channel Nine have got a new deal with Cricket Australia which I know has cost them a lot more money. I gather there had to be some restructuring of costs.” Channel Nine said it was not in a position to comment on the matter at this stage. “The Nine Network are still finalising arrangements with our various stakeholders for the coming season,” a spokeswoman said via e-mail. “Comprehensive details of our upcoming Ashes cover- age will be available shortly.” Although by no means at the centre of every controversial umpiring decision during the first series in July and August, there were several occa- sions when Hotspot failed to pick up edges. Cricket Australia requested an explanation from global governing body the International Cricket Council over the dismissal of Usman Khawaja during the third test in BANGLADESH: New Zealand batsman BJ Walting reacts after scoring a century (100 runs) during the second day of the Manchester. first cricket Test match between Bangladesh and New Zealand. — AFP The batsman was given out caught despite a review of the television pictures and Hotspot which showed no convincing evidence of a nick off the bat. Ton-up Watling leaves England’s leading batsman Kevin Pietersen was also involved in an incident in the same test when he was giv- en out caught behind, even though nothing appeared on the Hotspot review. If Brennan is correct, umpires will now New Zealand on top have just the ball-tracking device “Eagle Eye”, slow motion replays and the microphones set into the stumps to aid their decisions. CHITTAGONG: Bradley-John Watling led New Zealand’s Watling hit six boundaries and two sixes as he surpassed remarkable fightback with a gutsy century to leave the tourists his previous best of 102 not out against Zimbabwe in Napier Simon Taufel, the ICC’s umpire performance and train- in control of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong in January last year. Boult breezed past his personal best of 33 ing manager and a keen supporter of the Decision Review yesterday. with a six off Shakib Al Hasan and returned unbeaten as System (DRS), said the absence of Hotspot would be a The South African-born wicket-keeper compiled a career- Watling was dismissed attempting to pick up the scoring rate. blow to the umpires in the series.“The news is a bit disap- best 103 as the Black Caps recovered from 282-7 to post 469 The Black Caps, who resumed at the overnight score of pointing, to be honest, but we do understand the finan- all out by tea on the second day at the Zahur Ahmed 280-5, lost Bruce Martin and debutant Corey Anderson in the cial realities,” the former test umpire told Fox TV. Chowdhury stadium. first two overs of the day to slip to 282-7. Martin was caught “The umpires will have a little bit of work on their Bangladesh were 103-2 in reply at close, following a breath- behind from a thin edge off Rubel and Anderson edged hands to decide what is conclusive evidence.” Back-to- taking counter-attack by 22-year-old Mominul Haque, who Razzak to first slip, giving the left-arm spinner his third wicket back Ashes are being played this year to move the smashed an unbeaten 77 off 71 balls with 13 boundaries. in the innings. But Watling and Doug Bracewell prolonged the Australia-hosted series out of its position in the calendar Mominul shared an unbroken third-wicket stand of 95 with innings by adding 57 for the eight wicket. Bracewell gifted his immediately ahead of the limited overs World Cup every debutant Marshall Ayub (21 not out) after two wickets had fall- wicket when he attempted a rash sweep off Sohag Gazi, four years. — Reuters en for eight runs by the fourth over. missed the line and was bowled for 29. —AFP Bangladesh, who have lost eight and drawn one of their nine Tests against New Zealand, will need to match the rivals’ huge total if they are to avoid defeat in the first game of the Scoreboard two-match series. Watling’s century was the cornerstone of the brilliant resistence by New Zealand’s tailenders that frustrated CHITTAGONG: Scoreboard at stumps on the second day of the first Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Zahur Bangladesh’s bowlers. Ahmed Chowdhury stadium in Chittagong yesterday: Number 11 Trent Boult also hit a personal best of 52 not New Zealand 1st innings: (overnight 280-5) (Anderson), 8-339 ,(Bracewell), 9-342 (Sodhi), 10-469 (Watling). out, helping Watling add a valuable 127 runs for the 10th- P. Fulton c Mominul b Nasir 73 Bowling: Robiul 13-3-23-0 (nb1), Rubel 20-2-77-1 (nb1), Razzak wicket on the newly-laid pitch that provided only slow turn. H. Rutherford c Razzak b Gazi 34 55-10-147-3, Gazi 32-6-79-2, Shakib 24-5-89-2, Ayub 2-0-15-0, “It was great fun batting with Trent out there,” Watling said. K. Williamson lbw b Shakib 114 Nasir 5-1-19-1, Mominul 6.1-0-10-1 “I thought he played extremely well. He waited for the loose R. Taylor c sub (Naeem) b Razzak 28 ball and played some nice shots through the onside. B. McCullum lbw b Razzak 21 Bangladesh 1st innings: “We played some good cricket and put Bangladesh under B. Martin c Rahim b Rubel 1 Tamim Iqbal c Williamson b Boult 0 pressure. We were patient and managed to put on a good C. Anderson c Nasir b Razzak 1 Anamul Haque lbw b Bracewell 3 partnership together. It was needed because 400 is pretty B.J. Watling st Rahim b Mominul 103 Marshall Ayub not out 21 much par on this wicket.” D. Bracewell b Gazi 29 Mominul Haque not out 77 Watling, who was on four when he was caught off a Rubel I. Sodhi lbw b Shakib 1 Extras: (w1, nb1) 2 Hossain no-ball, prospered with the help of the tailenders and T. Boult not out 52 Total (for two wickets, 26 overs) 103 reached his second century with a six off Abdur Razzak. Extras: (b4, lb6, nb2) 12 Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Tamim), 2-8 (Anamul). His valiant effort ended just at the stroke of tea when he Total (all out, 157.1 overs) 469 Bowling: Boult 3-2-5-1 (w1), Bracewell 4-0-25-1 (nb1), Martin 3- was stumped off Mominul, the eighth bowler deployed by Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Rutherford), 2-183 (Fulton), 3-244 (Taylor), 0-20-0, Bangladesh during the innings. 4-276 , (Williamson), 5-280 (McCullum), 6-282 (Martin), 7-282 Sodhi 8-0-27-0, Anderson 3-2-8-0, Williamson 5-1-18-0 .