Dobell: An embarrassment for ICC
ESPNcricinfo's senior correspondent George Dobell shares his opinion on the Anderson run-out incident after ICC accepted the incident as umpiring error
James Taylor was denied a maiden international century by an umpiring error as Australia opened their World Cup campaign with a crushing defeat of England.
"Following Australia's 111-run win over England in the Group A ICC Cricket World Cup clash at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday night, the Playing Control Team (PCT) met and reviewed the final ball of the game which resulted in James Anderson being given run out," an ICC statement said.
"Article 3.6a of Appendix 6 of the Decision Review System Playing Conditions states that the ball should have been deemed dead when the batsman (James Taylor) was given out LBW. No further runs or dismissals were possible.
"The PCT spoke to the England team management and acknowledges that the game ended incorrectly and that an error was made."
The confusion arose when Taylor was given out by umpire Aleem Dar following a leg before appeal from Josh Hazlewood. However, Taylor called for a review which suggested the ball was passing down the leg side. Dar's original decision was therefore overturned. But as England attempted a single from the same delivery, Glenn Maxwell hit the stumps before Anderson could make his ground. After some confusion and a number of replays, the square leg umpire, Kumar Dharmasena gave Anderson out.
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But the playing conditions suggest the ball should have been declared dead at the time and Anderson should have been reprieved. While the decision had no bearing on the result - Australia were in a position of overwhelming dominance - it did deny Taylor the chance to register a century on World Cup debut.
Aaron Finch, the Australian opener who was awarded the Man-of-the-Match award for his century, admitted the players had "no idea" what the playing conditions were.
"We had no idea what was going on," he said. "We appealed for an lbw, we appealed for a run out. We would have taken anything at the time.
"I honestly still don't know the rule. Maybe it was a dead ball, but I still haven't seen a rule."