Lankan umpires under the pump after controversial no-ball decision

The high full toss passes above waist high of the striker Kamindu Mendis

Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga exchanges words with umpire Lyndon Hannibal

 Sri Lanka head coach Chris Silverwood in animated conversation with umpires Ravindra Wimalasiri and Lyndon Hannibal

• It was a genuine mistake says umpire Lyndon Hannibal

Sri Lankan umpires Lyndon Hannibal and Ravindra Wimalasiri found themselves under the pump by the Sri Lankan team and its players for a controversial no-ball decision which was not given during a crucial phase of the third and final T20I which Afghanistan won by a mere three runs at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

The win was Afghanistan’s first and only win in their all-format tour of Sri Lanka where they lost the one-off Test, the ODI series 3-0 and the T20I series 2-1.

The match was on a tightrope with Sri Lanka needing 11 runs off the final three balls for a win when Afghanistan fast bowler Wafadar Momand bowled a delivery that passed batsman Kamindu Mendis well above waist height without pitching. As per the ICC’s playing conditions this would constitute a no-ball. But square leg umpire Lyndon Hannibal and head umpire Ravindra Wimalasiri deemed the high full toss as a legal delivery. Had it been signalled a no-ball Sri Lanka would have got a free hit and in a match which went down to the wire, there could have been a different result.

Mendis tried to review it, but DRS for non-wickets is not available in international cricket yet.

“You can’t have that happening in an international match. If it had been lit a bit higher, it could have hurt the batsman. I think the umpire is unfit for international cricket. He’d better find some other job,” said Sri Lanka captain Wanindu Hasaranga of the incident directing his accusation at Hannibal although he did not refer to him by name.

“It was a no-ball. No two words about it. If a mistake was made, he has to be humble and accept the mistake. We could review that, but ICC has done away with it. Our batsmen tried to review. If umpires are watching for front foot no-balls, they should look for this kind of no-balls as well. The umpire could have reviewed it, if he wasn’t sure. Not sure what was going on in his mind.”

Reacting to that comment Hannibal said, “According to the protocol we can’t check with the third umpire unless it is a dismissal. An umpire can check only the foot no-ball of a bowler. We have no authority under the laws to check. We have to play it by the rules, and we are bound by them. In franchise cricket, you can check these decisions with the third umpire. People get confused. In ICC cricket we have still not come to that.”

Remarking on why the high full toss was not called a no-ball Hannibal speaking to Daily FT said, “It’s an umpires’ call but I completely lost the ball in the crowd. People don’t understand that on these grounds you can lose the ball that is exactly what happened. I would be a fool if I saw it and did not call it. It’s a genuine mistake. With all the lights and the flags waving in the background, it was also slightly misty at that time. For some reason I lost the ball. I thought it was lower than that.”

“The problem is it happened at a very wrong time. For 39.4 overs there was absolutely nothing, everything was perfect. Yesterday’s incident when it happened there was no time for the team to recover. It decided the game. You can always argue that because of the decision there was another ball which is a free hit and an extra ball. Nobody in the ground realized it was a mistake till the replay came. I was shocked when I saw it. I couldn’t believe that I had missed it. I am still trying to recover from it.”Hannibal said that both umpires (his partner Ravindra Wimalasiri) can make a judgement. “If the head umpire had also seen it clearly, he can make a judgment. He was not so sure. He thought I saw it differently and when he was not sure about it, he wouldn’t make a call.”

The ICC playing conditions on such a delivery is:

“41.7.1 Any delivery, which passes or would have passed, without pitching, above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease, is to be deemed to be unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker. If the bowler bowls such a delivery the umpire shall immediately call and signal No ball.”

“41.7.2 Should there be any further instance (where a dangerous non-pitching delivery is bowled and is considered likely to inflict physical injury on the batsman) by the same bowler in that innings, the umpire shall call and signal No ball.”

“As a further guide it is expected that balls around the “belt height” will be called.”

“PC Clause 41.7.1 & PC Clause 41.7.2: To be adjudged live by on-field umpires or referred to TV umpires only if dismissal occur.”