BCB to lodge formal complaint with ICC

Bangladesh players were unhappy about the umpiring in the Durban Test against South Africa.AFP

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will lodge an official complaint to the ICC (International Cricket Council) about the poor umpiring and excessive sledging from the South African players during Bangladesh’s first Test against South Africa at the Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.

The Bangladesh camp was unhappy with the umpiring throughout the match and was also surprised by the on-field umpires’ inaction when the host players were ‘verbally abusing’ the Bangladeshi batsmen.

Shakib Al Hasan, who is not taking part in the Test series owing to a family emergency, posted a tweet on Sunday, calling for the ICC to reinstate the rule of using neutral umpires in Tests. Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud echoed him later in the day.

Tamim Iqbal, who did not play in the first Test because of stomachache, went to the ground after the fourth day’s play and confronted the South African umpires Marais Erasmus and Adrian Holdstock about their inaction when the South African fielders were hurling abuse at the Bangladeshi players.

Bangladesh are unhappy with several decions made by the South African umpires.
AFP

After the match ended on Monday, skipper Mominul Haque also spoke about the poor umpiring and ‘excessive sledging’ from South Africa.

“There is always some sledging on the cricket field. That’s natural. But when people start hurling abuse in the name of sledging, that’s very bad. I felt that they were hurling terrible abuse at us. The umpires didn’t really notice it.”

“Sledging definitely took place from both sides, but when they started it and took it overboard, we complained to the umpires. It wasn’t acceptable. We properly condemn it. We have to accept the umpires’ decisions, but the ICC must reinstate neutral umpires.”
Jalal Yunus, BCB cricket operations chairman

BCB cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus, who is with the team in South Africa, confirmed cricket-based website Cricinfo that the board will lodge a complaint with the ICC.

“We have already lodged one complaint about the umpiring after the ODI series. The match referee [Andy Pycroft] had an argument with our manager Nafees Iqbal, but then we gave him a written complaint. We will lodge another official complaint about this Test match.”

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The umpires turned a deaf ear to many of Bangladesh's complaints on the field.
AFP

Jalal explained how the South African targeted Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Bangladesh’s centurion in the first innings, when he came out to bat on Day 4, “They surrounded [Mahmudul Hasan] Joy when he went out to bat. They were saying some things. He couldn’t say anything back since he is a junior player. It was deplorable. Instead of controlling the situation, the umpires warned our players whenever we made complaints against the sledging.”

Just like Shakib and Mahmud, Jalal also wants the ICC to revert to its rule of using neutral umpires in Test matches.

“Sledging definitely took place from both sides, but when they started it and took it overboard, we complained to the umpires. It wasn’t acceptable. We properly condemn it. We have to accept the umpires’ decisions, but the ICC must reinstate neutral umpires.”

Mominul also called to reinstated the rule of using neutral umpires in Tests in the post-match press-conference, “I think the ICC should think about it. They should bring back neutral umpires (in Tests) like it used to be in before Covid. Due to Covid, it couldn’t be done. But now Covid is under control. They should bring back neutral umpires. Not just this series, in many series this (umpiring errors) has occurred.”