New Zealand's favourite umpire Daryl Harper was in the gun again for the failure to observe South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher's return catch to Chris Cairns in yesterday's VB Series game in Hobart.

Boucher, given not out, when Cairns appealed for a catch which ballooned back to him from the bottom of his bat, then proceeded to smash 22 valuable runs off the last eight balls of the innings, in New Zealand's 26-run loss.

Harper, who did not have access to a third umpire ruling due to an International Cricket Council ruling after a first Test incident between Australia and New Zealand, also chose not to consult with his square leg umpire before making his decision.

Newspaper reaction to the incident and the game from both sides of the Tasman Sea follows:

The Sydney Morning Herald: "The Proteas and New Zealanders alternated between batting with sober certainty and like rolling drunks, and only the victory margin of 26 runs spared more serious head-spins over a decision that enhanced Hobart's reputation for hosting one-day internationals tinged with controversy.

"The Kiwis were left sporting the worst of the hangovers, losing 6-32 in pursuit of a target that should have been a lot larger after a bold start, yet might have been a good deal smaller if not for Mark Boucher's bizarre escape during the 49th over.

"The wicketkeeper drove at a low full toss from Chris Cairns, who caught what most watchers thought was a bump ball in his follow-through. The bowler shocked teammates and spectators by appealing to umpire Daryl Harper.

"There were many chuckles at Cairns's expense until replays showed the ball had gone straight from bottom of bat to hand. Smiles began to disappear when Boucher pulled the next ball to the rope, and were wiped completely when he twice lifted Shane Bond over the fence in the last over of the innings.

"[Stephen] Fleming, clearly not one of those who saw it as a bump ball, was not amused but wary of venting his spleen. 'I'm not into spending money on these topics, so I've got to say I was looking the other way,' he said.

"South African skipper Shaun Pollock said it was another matter that should be handed to the third official. 'I think everyone else, apart from maybe Cairns [initially], thought the same: that it was a bump ball,' Pollock said. 'Maybe those things should be referred to third umpires. In a clear-cut case like that, nobody would object.'"

The Daily Telegraph: "Controversy over a catch that wasn't took some of the gloss of South Africa's 26-run win over New Zealand at Bellerive Oval yesterday which hoisted it to outright leadership on the one-day international table.

"Proteas captain Shaun Pollock later called for disputed catches to be referred to the third umpire after agreeing his deputy Mark Boucher was lucky not to be given out caught and bowled by Chris Cairns when on eight.

"Boucher profited from the let-off by blasting 22 of 24 runs off the last eight balls of the innings, including two sixes, to help swell South Africa's total to 7-257.

"After a third wicket stand of 81 between skipper Stephen Fleming (85) and Craig McMillan (36) the last six New Zealand wickets crashed for 32 and it finished its 50 overs on 9-231."

The New Zealand Herald: "As in Melbourne, New Zealand's new-ball bowlers struggled to restrict the run-scoring at the start of the innings and South Africa were able to canter along at a steady five an over, thanks largely to an opening stand of 82 from man-of-the-match Gary Kirsten, and Herschelle Gibbs.

"Kirsten, who top-scored for the South Africans with 97 and seemed on track to post his 12th ODI century, was involved in a mix-up with Neil McKenzie in the 41st over and effectively sacrificed his wicket at which stage the total was looking ominous at 194 for four.

"Far from lying down, however, New Zealand staged one of those remarkable counter-attacks which highlighted their win at Melbourne last week - and would have stolen the initiative but for an outrageous decision from umpire Daryl Harper in the 49th over.

"Harper disallowed a comprehensive caught and bowled appeal from Chris Cairns against Mark Boucher, ruling that the stroke had been a bump ball, when television replays clearly showed the ball travelling directly from blade to hand.

"Boucher was on eight at the time and proceeded to rub salt into the New Zealand wounds by smashing 22 runs off the next seven balls, boosting South Africa's total past the 250-mark with an unbeaten 30 from 19 balls."

New Zealand Press Association: "The third umpire should be able to rule on bump ball decisions, according to South African cricket captain Shaun Pollock, after his team were helped considerably by a decision late in their innings against New Zealand yesterday.

"Chris Cairns appealed for a caught-and-bowled decision off Mark Boucher in the fourth to last over of the innings when the wicketkeeper was on eight.

"Umpire Daryl Harper turned the decision down, believing it was a bump ball but was clearly wrong as replays showed Boucher hit the ball directly back to Cairns.

"Because of an International Cricket Council (ICC) ruling introduced just two months ago which meant umpires cannot refer questionable bump-ball decisions to the third umpire, Harper couldn't take the matter further.

"New Zealand paid the price as Boucher went on to crack 30 off 19 balls.

"Those extra runs proved crucial. It was unlikely that the batsmen to follow, Makhaya Ntini and Allan Donald, could have matched Boucher's hitting prowess.

"Pollock admitted his team were lucky as the decision proved a 'clear-cut' one, even though the rest of the New Zealanders didn't join Cairns in his appeal.

"'Maybe those sort of things could be referred to a third umpire and if it's clear-cut then it wouldn't be a bad thing,'" Pollock said.

"'If you can definitely get the correct decision then that's what you want. TV doesn't always give you the correct decision. On clear-cut things like that then use it. I don't think any team would have a problem with it.'"

"Fleming refused to discuss the issue, indicating he didn't want to be fined for criticising officials.

"'I'm not into spending money on these topics so I'll just say I was looking the other way,'" he said.

"'It's an ongoing discussion, isn't it.'"

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