The conduct of Australian umpires during that tour has critically strengthened the case for exclusive use of third-country umpires in international cricket. In three Tests and six One-day Internationals 15 lbw decisions were given by the umpires. While 13 of these went against Sri Lanka, only two were given against the Australian batsmen. Remarkably both these were given by the Pakistan umpire, Hayat.
The ratio against Sri Lanka of 6 1/2: 1 must be the highest ratio of lbw decisions recorded against a visiting team in cricket history.
In the past Australia repeatedly attacked the quality of umpiring in the Indian subcontinent, basing themselves primarily on a ratio of 3:1 lbw decisions given against them. Such critics would be hard pressed to defend the ratio against the Sri Lankan team. This might have been higher had the third-country umpire not given the two lbw decisions. It is indeed, quite astonishing to note that not one of the Australian umpires deemed it fit to give an Australian batsman out lbw in the entire series despite numerous confident appeals against them.
Some of the cream of Sri Lankan batsmen were dismissed at crucial moments of the game through the intervention of the umpires.
The case for exclusive use of third-country umpires in international cricket is strong and convincing. Even when mistakes are made by these umpires, they would at least be free from the perception of bias and partisanship. Moreover their participation would prevent pre-existing good relations between cricket playing nations from becoming unnecessarily strained by umpiring controversies.
Senaka Weeraratne
Clayton South
Victoria
Australia