(UTV | INDIA) – Halfway through the final over of Delhi Capitals’ chase, there was a lot of drama with skipper Rishabh Pant gesturing for his batters to come back, and even sending in batting coach Pravin Amre with a message to the umpires.
The bone of contention was a high full toss bowled by Obed McCoy that wasn’t called a no-ball (for height) onfield. The Delhi Capitals seemed adamant that the umpires do something about the call.
As such the playing conditions allow the onfield umpires to go up to the third umpire for such height calls only when there are dismissals. With this being a six, the onfield called stayed but not before triggering a lot of emotions within DC.
“I thought that no-ball could have been precious for us but it is not in my control,” said skipper Rishabh Pant.
“Yes, disappointed but can’t do much about it. Everyone was frustrated (in the dugout) that it was not even close, everyone in the ground saw that, I think the third umpire should have interfered and said it was a no-ball,” he opined.
However, he too accepted that the coach Pravin Amre coming onto the ground was a mistake.
“Obviously, it wasn’t right (sending Amre onto the field) but what happened with us is also not right, it happened in the heat of the moment. It was the fault from both sides and it is disappointing as we have seen some good umpiring in the tournament,” said Pant.
Delhi’s dugout did not have their head coach Ricky Ponting for tonight’s game. But assistant coach Shane Watson minced no words while talking about the ugly incident.
“It was very disappointing what happened in that last over. Unfortunately, we were in that position in the game where we were not able to put things together long enough throughout that game. And look, in the end, what we at the Delhi Capitals don’t stand for is what happened. The umpire’s decision whether it’s right or wrong, we have to accept it. And someone running on the field is…we can’t accept and well it’s not good enough,” said Watson.
“In the end, the thing is you’ve got to accept the umpire’s decision whether it’s a good one or a not-so-good one. So in the end we’ve just got to get on with the game. And that’s the thing I was communicating at that point of time as well. To just make sure we get on with the game, whether we agree with a decision or not. Always taught as youngsters that you’ve got to accept the umpire’s decision and that’s what we should have done,” he added.
McCoy, who had conceded three sixes before that stoppage, proceeded to give away only two in his next three balls. R Ashwin felt that the break “settled the nerves” of McCoy, and his thoughts were echoed by Watson too.
“It seems that way in the way the game panned out in the last couple of balls. There’s no question that when there’s a big stoppage of play like that, it changes the momentum. It gave Obed McCoy a little bit of time to regroup as well. In the end the way the game panned out, that stoppage did play into Rajasthan Royals’ hands. It was an unfortunate stoppage,” said Watson.