Media slams McGrath

This was the third leg before ruling against Tendulkar in five innings of this series, to go with a bad bat-pad decision which was never there. That the Indian captain has still got 274 runs at 54.80 is altogether a different matter.

Veteran cricket writer Mike Coward in The Australian nailed the issue when he wrote, “Not even a genius can do it alone especially when 50-50 decisions consistently get 100 per cent against him.”

Malcolm Cohn, in the same newspaper, wrote, “For the third time in five innings, Tendulkar could have felt the rub of the green gone against him.”

The media also reacted angrily againstGlenn McGrath for eye-balling Tendulkar on dismissing him after he had struck the pace spearhead for three fours in that eventful over.

Everyone thought he was lucky to escape with a caution from Sri Lankan match-referee Ranjan Madugalle, who also let batsman Ricky Ponting go scot-free for abusing and waving his bat at paceman Javagal Srinath in the second Test.

“Given McGrath’s record and his capacity to extend and sometimes cross the line of appropriate behaviour, he can consider himself lucky to maintain a full pay cheque from this Test,;” wrote Cohn.

Mark Ray in the Sydney Morning Herald agreed. “McGrath’s exuberance at another great piece of bowling came at the expense of his personal dignity.” Ray said “McGrath was more fortunate” than Venkatesh Prasad, who was fined 35 per cent of his match fee and got a suspended ban.

Cricketer-turned-journalist Peter Roebuck too was unsparing in the same newspaper.

“He celebrated the fall of Tendulkar in a manner that went beyond understandableexultation. His antics went beyond anything seen in the previous match (Prasad incident). It spoilt the day,” wrote Roebuck.

“It did not seem much of a way to treat a batsman of any sort, let alone a champion. Nor was it much of a way to treat a guest or a visiting captain.”

Roebuck wrote: “McGrath was lucky to escape with a caution. What’s good for the goose must be good for everyone else.