Kiwi coach criticises ICC on Super Over

Thursday, 4 October 2012 00:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

ESPNCricinfo: Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, has questioned the ICC’s rationale behind using a Super Over in non-knockout matches. New Zealand tied two of their Super Eight matches – against Sri Lanka and West Indies – but subsequently lost both in the Super Over, and the defeat to England meant that they ended at the bottom of their group.

“I can’t work out why, in a non-elimination game, you have to have a Super Over. I’ve never worked that out,’’ Hesson said. “We lost a couple of key moments. You know, we were two runs away from being top of the pool and being top qualifier, so there’s a level of satisfaction there but I think every team that leaves the World Cup without the trophy’s disappointed and we’re no different.”

Hesson also criticised the ICC on the issue of a bowler knocking the stumps during his bowling stride. In New Zealand’s match against England, Steven Finn bumped into the stumps thrice. The first ball was a leg-side wide, second was played for a single and the third was hit to the boundary by James Franklin. However, each time the ball was ruled as dead, the bowler getting away without a warning. “I have also never worked out how you can kick the stumps over and get a benefit. If that doesn’t change they [the ICC] have got rocks in their head,” Hesson said. “I’m not sure how they came to that conclusion. Basically we (all coaches and captains) came to a meeting pre-tournament and they told us what was happening. There wasn’t a discussion.

“I don’t blame Steven Finn but they’ve made one rule for one person. He also did it once [for a warning] but not twice against Sri Lanka. It would have been interesting to see the response if they had hit a boundary.’’