ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting feels that Cameron Green catch that saw Shubman Gill dismissed at a crucial stage of the ICC World Test Championship Final on day four will be discussed a lot and “everyone in India will think it is not out and everyone in Australia will think it is out”.
Gill was given out by TV umpire Richard Kettleborough on the stroke of tea on the fourth day of an enthralling contest at The Oval on Saturday after India made a bright start to their run chase, with 444 needed for victory.
Pacer Scott Boland found the edge of Gill’s bat and Green dived to his left in his favoured gully position to complete the catch, but debate has opened up in the cricket world on whether the Australia all-rounder had successfully got his hands under the ball and controlled it.
Green immediately started celebrating the superb grab with his teammates and Ponting said soon after the right call was made to send Gill on his way.
“When I saw it live, I knew it had carried to him on the full, but I wasn’t sure what the action was after that from all replays we have seen,” Ponting told the ICC.
“I actually think some part of the ball did touch the ground and it is the interpretation of the umpire that as long as the fielder has complete control of the ball before the ball hits the ground then it is out.
That must have been what the umpires’ interpretation was and I think that is exactly what happened. It carried probably six or eight inches off the ground then there was another action after that,” he added.
The former Australian captain expects the catch to be widely discussed after play and beyond, and that opinions will continue to be divided.
“There will be a lot of talk about it I am sure and there will probably be more talk in India than in Australia. Everyone in India will think it is not out and everyone in Australia will think it is out,” Ponting suggested.
The decision made by Kettleborough was made following a recent change to rules relating to the soft signal made by on field umpires, which has been removed from the game.
The one-off Test in south London is just the second Test match played under the new regulations that don’t require the on field umpires to provide their input and Ponting believes this would not have influenced the decision made by the experienced official.
“If it had have been given out on the field then I think the third umpire has to find conclusive evidence to overturn that decision and I don’t think there would have been conclusive evidence,” he said.
“The reason I am saying that is, even without the soft signal, the third umpire thought it was out. At the end of the day I think the correct decision has probably been made,” he added.
The 48-year old thinks the decision by the ICC to remove the ability for on field umpires to give a soft signal was one that is ultimately good for the game.
“I was happy for that soft signal to be taken out of the game…I think there were too many of those that seemed irrelevant,” Ponting said.
“Everyone will say now that without the soft signal it is going to what technology can see and technology can provide, but at the end of the day it is still the third umpire making the decision on what he can see,” he added.
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