Rigor on the run out: Beware casting stones

Mark Richardson has warned against self-righteousness in the wake of this morning's run out furore, dredging up a less than gentlemanly incident from the Black Caps' past.

The former New Zealand opener called this morning's controversial ODI match collision between Grant Elliott and Ryan Sidebottom "harmless".

After watching this morning's highlights, Richardson - whose lack of athleticism earned him the nickname 'Rigor', abbreviated from rigormortis - said the umpire's call was 50/50.

Tension erupted after Black Cap all-rounder Elliott was run out for 24 after colliding with England bowler Sidebottom when attempting a short single. England captain Paul Collingwood refused to withdraw the appeal, generating a disgusted reaction from the Kiwis from the team balcony. A subsequent handshake and apology between captains quelled tensions.

Commenting on the controversy today, Richardson said: "It appeared to me Sidebottom was going for the ball, and the collision was probably harmless.

"Elliott had the right to keep going, although the onus is still on the batsman to get out of the way so long as the bowler isn't going out of his way to make sure the batsman is held up.

"The umpire made the decision, and that should be respected."

"Collingwood could have said it was an unfair call, but he was in his rights to throw it over to the umpires. 

"It's not like the players make the rules - they don't give themselves out, the umpires are there to do that."

Richardson said New Zealand should be careful about "throwing stones" and being hypocritical.

He said the incident was similar to when Sri Lanka's Muralitharan was run out during last year's tour to New Zealand. 

Muralitharan had walked down the pitch to celebrate his partner Sangakkara's century, while the ball was being returned to the wicketkeeper, and he was dismissed.

"We were happy to take that decision," he said.

ENGLAND CRITICISED FROM ALL SIDES

Former New Zealand wicketkeeper and Ian Smith, who is calling the series for Sky Sports, was quoted in The Times comparing Collingwood's decision to proceed with the appeal to Greg Chappell's instruction to brother Trevor to bowl underarm in Melbourne in 1981.

"I have not seen such a reaction from a New Zealand side since then," Smith said.

During his commentary of the match, Smith said: "If there has been good feeling between these two sides, it's gone. It's gone in that moment. And unfortunately, Paul Collingwood has to live with it. And that is a horrible thing when you've been such a fighting cricketer, a really good cricketer for his country. He'll have to live with that for a long time."

The Times cricket correspondent Richard Hobson wrote: "England lost the match, but, more important, a good deal of self-respect in that moment. ... Imagine, though, if England had won. It is difficult to imagine how Collingwood could have apologised with a straight face; difficult, too, to envisage how the New Zealanders might have felt able to accept it. When Graeme Swann’s errant throw missed the stumps and evaded four England fielders, the cricketing gods rendered a judgment of their own."

Former England captain Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports UK that Collingwood was right to have apologised to the New Zealand side.

"I think afterwards Collingwood was spot on. We have all done things in the heat of the moment that we have regretted," Hussain said.

"You are brought up throughout your career to win. You have the spirit of the game, but the other side is that Collingwood is the England captain and his job is to make sure that England win.

"In his mind he is battling with the two, in that moment where it was decision time, phone a friend or whatever, Collingwood went for the wrong option."

Hussain also called for more power to be handed to the umpires in judging whether an event breaches the spirit of the game.

"Take today's situation. Mark Benson, instead of asking Collingwood if the appeal stands, just says to him 'Look we have had a look at this upstairs; it has just been a genuine collision we are going to call a dead ball and get on with the game.'

"Take the heat out of the situation. The umpires have a bit more time and are a bit more relaxed, so give them the responsibility of using a bit of common sense."

TOP ORDER STRUGGLES

Richardson said the Black Caps were still showing top order problems, although he said Jacob Oram made a big difference being back in the team.

"New Zealand did well restricting England to what was probably a below par total on that surface.

"They bowled pretty well and at the end of the day they got across the line."

"Collingwood as a cricketer is hard and abrasive.  He plays hard but then so does the New Zealand side."

Richardson said New Zealand was ranked third in the world when it came to one day cricket.

"There should be plenty of feeling in the last game, and so there should be as it's a nation versus nation."

"It should be a good match."

- © Fairfax NZ News