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CRICKET ROADSHOWS
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Week 5 Review - 9 Jun, Cardiff
Benaud and Willey argue for no-ball law change |
Former Australia captain Richie Benaud and Test umpire Peter Willey both called for the front foot no-ball rule to be changed on Saturday's Cricket Roadshow.
"It was a lousy law when it was introduced in 1962 and it remains a lousy law," said Benaud, who was speaking out after last week's problems at the Old Trafford Test. "It is quite impossible for the umpire to be looking down and then in a fraction of a second gaze up and refocus."
Willey admitted that it was impossible to spot every no-ball, and used Wasim Akram as an illustration of how difficult it can be because his natural angle of delivery obscures the umpire's view of the front foot line.
"Nothing against Wasim but he is the worst in the world to try and pick up no-balls. I've tried standing up to the stumps and further back but when he's at full pace he's just a nightmare.
"You try and get in a position where hopefully you can see where the foot lands but you're going to miss some, we know that. You just hope a wicket doesn't fall."
John Carr, ECB director of cricket operations, said technology could be the answer but Benaud disagreed and said the law back-foot should be reintroduced.
"I've been arguing for that for so long it doesn't matter, but I've stopped arguing now because administrators say to me 'But we talked to the umpires and they're very happy with the front foot law and they don't have a problem with it'.
"What about the refocusing? 'Ah, they say they don't have a problem with that at all'. Well they would wouldn't they. They're not going to say to Tim Lamb or John Carr I have a bit of a problem refocusing there because they'll be down doing the Winchester 3rds the following week. They won't be standing in Test cricket if they've got a problem refocusing."
Willey was also in agreement when asked if he supported a law change. "I honestly think it would make life a lot easier, especially when you've got spinners on and men around the bat. If we can just check the back foot we've got another half a second or so to look at the danger end."
Carr preferred maintaining the current law but assisting umpires to call no-balls. "We'll be working very closely with technology companies to see if there's a good way of doing it, but it's how you use the technology that really counts. We don't want to interfere with the authority of the on-field umpire, but at the same time we want to help them out to make the right decisions in timely fashion."
Elsewhere on the show Aussie paceman Brett Lee talked about life in the fast lane, Sybil Ruscoe sampled the Cardiff atmosphere and Yousaf Iqbal explained why he set up the only all Asian cricket team in Wales - Swansea Asians CCC.
Former England captain Graham Gooch was also on the programme, highlighting England's current malaise in the one-day format.
"One of the problems we've suffered with recently is that we keep getting bowled out in these 50 over matches," said Gooch.
"If you're getting bowled out it means you're losing wickets all the time and there's no continuity to the innings. No-one in our top order is batting through the innings to win the match.
"You need someone up at the top of the order batting well. Tendulkar does it for India, Mark Waugh has been opening for Australia for many years providing that solid start with Gilchrist playing much more aggressively at the other end."
He added: "Graham Thorpe is our best player and our best players have got to bat in our top four. Alec Stewart is still a good player, maybe he should still be at the top of the order, I don't know, but England have got to get a settled front four because that's where you provide the bulk of your runs."
Mail the Cricket Show team at cricketshow@cricket4.com
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