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David shepherds Sehwag

Comment by Elmo Rodrigopulle

England's David Shepherd is a highly respected umpire. He is one, who is aware of the responsibility that has been thrust on him and he will do it to the best of his ability, endeavouring always to be honest in his decisions.

His decisions have always been after much thought, and like all humans he too, makes a mistake. And if ever he makes a mistake, it is taken in the spirit in which it has been made and there is no crying over spilt milk and he regrets it.

In addition to his decisions being spot on most of the time, he also likes to enjoy a bit of banter with the players, so that it brings out good rapport between the players and umpires.

He is a likeable personality. But when it comes to maintaining discipline on the field, he is second to none. The other day in the final Test between India and the West Indies at Eden Gardens, Calcutta he had reason to haul up Virendra Sehwag for a performance that could have stirred the emotions of the crowd and led to a lot of problems.

It happened like this. Sehwag fielding at short leg, grabbed the ball and leapt into the air appealing for a catch. Up to that point it was acceptable. But then when he showed the ball to the crowd and did the jig, that was unacceptable to Shepherd.

At the end of the over, from the action that was taking place out in the middle and from the manner in which former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar now turned TV commentator was describing it, Shepherd was giving the young Sehwag a lesson in discipline.

Shepherd was aware how fiery the cricket crazy Indian crowd could get once their feelings have been roused.

Once a crowd is worked to a frenzy what can happen we shudder to think.

Shepherd who has tremendous experience nipped in the bud a situation where had it been allowed to continue would have sullied the good name of the game, the players and the country.

The youthful Sehwag who has been tagged Tendulkar Mark 11 has the cricketing world before him. As a batsman to be bracketed with the great Sachin Tendulkar is fantastic.

With the future holding so much for him, then all his brilliance would have been of absolutely no use, if he is not taught what life is all about - discipline.

Shepherd who had a word with the youngster would have told him what he was doing wrong and like a good father admonishing his son would have told him to refrain from repeating his act.

We hope that young Sehwag will take the advice in the spirit in which it was made and not repeat it for his good and the good of the game.

Shepherd has shown that while there is a lot to earn from the game, there is much more to learn from the game.

Well done umpire Shepherd.

Ashes series begin

The long awaited Ashes Test series between Australia and England will be called 'play' on Thursday at the picturesque Gabba in Brisbane.

This game will be an emotional moment for Steve Waugh the Aussie skipper.

He will be leading 10 other men out, sans his twin brother Mark who had been an important part of the team's success over the years and who helped them to earn the tag of being world champions in Tests as well as the one-dayers.

To use the word ruthless on the Aussie selectors would not be too hash. Most Aussies and even their cricket loving Prime Minister John Howard were in sympathy with Mark, when they heard that he was dropped from the First Test team. The Aussie selectors should have taken into consideration the enormous contributions he had made to the side since padding up and given him a Test or two against the Englishmen, watched how he was performing, and had he failed then dumped him.

Had the selectors done that, they would have allowed the Aussie cricket fans to give him a rousing send off, in appreciation for his magnificent contributions in making their country the best in the world.

The previous selectors chopped wicket keeper Ian Healy similarly and now Mark has suffered the fate and ignominy.

Could Ian and Mark be blamed for being bitter, the inglorious manner in which they have been treated?

Steve Waugh's cricketing days too are numbered. His achievements for Australia can be writ in letters of gold. We hope the Aussie selectors would not do another Healey and Mark Waugh on him.

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