Ponting toes Dhoni line,blasts UDRS,recants

Ponting,it seems,is the one who is suffering.

He is still insisting that England batsman Kevin Pietersen should have been given out in the controversial incident on day two of the fourth Ashes Test,which prompted his 5400 dollar fine.

The incident had happened after Australia appealed for a caught-behind against Pietersen,when he was on 49.

Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin had convinced Ponting to call for a video review of the appeal,but the referral was unsuccessful.

A furious Ponting had angrily disputed the decision with on-field umpires Aleem Dar and Tony Hill.

The 36-year-old was fined 40 per cent of his match fee for the seemingly heated conversation.

“I had a chance to look at it again last night. I still,in my heart and in my mind,believe that he inside-edged that ball,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting,as saying.

“I think if you look at the replay properly,in the way that it needs to be looked at,I think everyone will understand that Hot-Spot mark wasn’t a long way away from where the ball passed the bat … but that’s irrelevant now. The decision was made and I’ve got to get on with it now.

“I got caught in the heat of the moment yesterday and went on too long with that chat. I know that we’ve,through this series,kept some footage of different decisions that have been made as far as the use of technology’s concerned,that’s taken up at a higher level. Maybe that’s how I should have handled it yesterday,” he added.

Ponting also criticized the policy of showing replays on the big screen before a decision is made,declaring that the Hot-Spot heat-camera vision had prompted his anger towards Dar and Hill.

“I guess one flaw we’ve got in the system in the moment is that all the replays are being shown on the big screen. From what we could see on the big screen you could see a pretty obvious Hot-Spot mark on the inside-edge of his bat,” Ponting said.

“What I wanted to do was clarify how the third umpire had got to making the decision that he made,and that’s what started the discussion with Aleem and I,” he added.

Ponting was charged with a Level One offence under article 2.1.3 (h) of the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s code of conduct,which relates to arguing or entering into a prolonged discussion with the umpire about his decision.

Surely,for captains across the cricket playing nations,the message is that like their long-retired predecessors,they should accept the fact that cricket is a ‘game of glorious uncertainties’ and get on with the play without the rancour.

Dhoni got the message fast as,presumably BCCI put in a few words in his ear. Dhoni recanted fast and was last seen praising the UDRS,Ponting seems to have suffered and then accepted it.