ICC Praises India for Upholding Spirit of Cricket; How about Upholding Cricket Laws?

The ICC wasted little time in praising the Indian cricket for upholding the spirit of cricket in overturning the run out decision against Ian Bell during the third day of the second Test of the India England series at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. However, perhaps the ICC should have used this as a reminder to the England cricket team and the fans that in essence, India could have stood their ground because they were, after all, following the letter of the law.

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC Chief Executive, today praised Team India, the England team and the match officials at Trent Bridge, Nottingham for the way they upheld the Great Spirit of the Great Sport of cricket. At the end of the afternoon session England batsman Ian Bell was given run out after leaving his crease in the belief that tea had been called by on-field umpires Asad Rauf and Marais Erasmus. On appeal, after consultation with television umpire Billy Bowden, Bell was given run out, which was the technically correct decision under the letter of the law of the game.

Haroon Lorgat said:

Absolute credit must go to Team India, the England team and the match officials - Ranjan Madugalle, Asad Rauf and Marais Erasmus as well as the off-field umpires Billy Bowden and Tim Robinson - for the superb way that they all handled a tricky situation.

While the initial appeal and umpire decision may have been acceptable to the letter of the law, the decision by India captain M S Dhoni and his team -as well as the Team India coaching staff - to withdraw the appeal shows great maturity. To see players and officials uphold the Great Spirit of cricket, which has underpinned the game for more than a century, is very special.

I am indeed grateful for the way that the teams and match officials handled what was clearly a difficult situation and their behaviour reflects well on everyone.

Perhaps the ICC, on its part, could have also said the message that the crowds at Trent Bridge were wrong to react in the ugly manner they did when India walked out on the field following the tea break and acquaint the England crowds and the England cricket team to show more maturity because India were merely following the cricket rules. By law, Ian Bell was out and several former England captains have stated that they would not have been quite as generous as Mahendra Singh Dhoni in overturning a decision when the batsman had clearly erred in his thought process.

The ICC could have shown a respect for the laws of the game, stating that it was the onus on teams to uphold the cricket laws that have stood over time and avoided the fracas that took place in the first place, which should not have technically been warranted because the Indian cricket team was not out of line and therefore, unfairly subjected to the kind of reactions from the Trent Bridge crowds and requests from the England dressing room that were not within the rules of the game either.