England cleared of
time-wasting against
Black Caps
Match referee Javagal Srinath cleared England of time wasting after their NatWest Series clash with New Zealand at Edgbaston ended in a controversial wash-out.
Match referee Javagal Srinath cleared England of time wasting after their NatWest Series clash with New Zealand at Edgbaston ended in a controversial wash-out.
England bowled only 19 overs in 83 minutes before umpires Steve Davis and Ian Gould decided to take the players off with rain falling – one over short of the minimum number needed to obtain a result.
New Zealand were on 127 for two at that stage and would have secured victory to level the series had they reached 134 by the end of the 20th over without losing any more wickets.
Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori believes Davis and Gould should have done more to hurry the game along. But the spinner conceded he would have adopted the same "gamesmanship" if he had been in the same situation.
Former Indian pace bowler Srinath insisted England had not been in breach of the required over rate once stoppages and injury breaks had been taken in consideration.
Srinath said: "England were not in breach of any over rate. They had enough allowances. There were a few referrals to the third umpires, like checking on whether a four had been struck, and injuries so England were not in breach of anything."
The wash-out was particularly harsh on New Zealand opener Brendon McCullum, who reached his half-century off just 42 balls, and went on to post an unbeaten 60.
Earlier, England's Luke Wright hit successive sixes and added five fours in his 52, while Paul Collingwood reached 37 in 24 balls, and Dimitri Mascarenhas hit 23 as England made 162 off their 24 overs.
