PERTH, JAN 31: After ending their tour Down Under with a final-over four-wicket loss to Australia, Indian coach Kapil Dev expressed shock at match referee Cammie Smith's decision not to dock the hosts a few overs for going 12 minutes beyond their stipulated time in Sunday's game here.``The entire team and I were shocked,'' said Kapil Dev, adding he had tried during the whole of the lunch break to make Smith see reason. ``He said no, and offered reasons such as changing of the sightscreen, passing on the water etc,'' said Kapil.Recalling that in their game against Pakistan in Hobart on January 21 Smith had docked two overs, Kapil said, ``Today, he ruled differently.''Captain Sachin Tendulkar agreed with Kapil, saying: ``The same situation applied in Hobart (and not here)..''As the team left for home Monday afternoon, Kapil Dev was left wondering if it was right for key players to play county cricket in England. ``It is alright if you don't get enough cricket, but that's not the case,'' saidKapil.Three players Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Saurav Ganguly have signed up to play with English counties this summer. While Dravid and Kumble had signed up long back with Kent and Northamptonshire respectively, Ganguly will play with Lancashire.Ganguly, commitments against South Africa and in Sharjah notwithstanding, is expected to play his first county match on April 15.``I know money is important and I don't disagree with it,'' said Kapil. ``If I can't give them money, perhaps, I have no right to question their commitment with English counties.''The team is expected to land in Chennai Tuesday morning.The only consolation for India, who lost 12 of the 15 matches they played on the 70-day tour marred by controversies over the umpiring was some good word from Australian captain Steve Waugh.Waugh said India had some good players and adviced his counterpart Tendulkar to persist with the touring side.``You (India) just got to show a bit more patience. If they pick guys and feel theyare good enough to serve them for a long time, they should persist with them,'' said Waugh.``The team has got good players, they just need confidence. It is the same if we tour India. We would be doing so in 12 months' time and India at home would be a side to beat,'' he said. Tendulkar too said his team needed time.``They need a proper chance. Confidence is a great thing. If a player is feeling good he will bowl and bat better in the middle,'' said the Indian skipper.India's two key performers on Sunday, Sunil Joshi (2-33) and Robin Singh (2-36) received support from both captains. ``He (Robin) is a good One-day player, we respect him. He is a good hitter of the ball, probably he is not as good against the quicks as against the spinners,'' said Waugh.About Joshi: ``We have a high opinion of him. He has got a good flight and could have been used in a couple of games earlier,'' said Waugh. Tendulkar said, ``It was they (Robin and Joshi) who brought us in the game today,'' and added there were times inthe tour when he toyed with the idea of playing Joshi in place of Anil Kumble. ``We did discuss it but then Anil had bowled well in Hobart and Adelaide, so we persisted with him.''
