Cricket: Fleming says no to more TV umpire calls

Deflated New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming has stopped short of calling for more use of television replays for umpires despite Billy Bowden's horrors yesterday.

New Zealand's only representative on the International Cricket Council's elite eight-man panel, Bowden did little to shake off former test opener Mark Richardson's assertion that Australia had a psychological hold on the top umpires.

The usually accurate Bowden made two crucial errors, both against Australia's topscorer Matthew Hayden, as Australia scraped to a 10-run win in the first one-dayer in Wellington.

On 31, Hayden gloved Kyle Mills to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum but was given not out, then on 56 a huge leg before wicket appeal by spinner Daniel Vettori was turned down.

Hayden made 71 of Australia's 236 for seven, while Vettori was spoken to by Bowden but escaped censure from match referee Clive Lloyd after hurling the ball into the turf and snatching his cap at the end of the over.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) trialled a system in the recent State Shield matches where umpires could call for replays to check whether a batsman had edged a delivery.

But Fleming, who was questionably given out lbw by Pakistan's Aleem Dar to Brett Lee on five, said more replays weren't the answer.

"Absolutely not. We saw evidence in domestic cricket where it's not accurate, it compromises the umpire's ability to have confidence in their decision making," Fleming said.

On the flamboyant Bowden's performance, Fleming was wary of ICC fines when he said: "I can't write your story for you on this one, you saw what you saw. I'm not going to give you anything... it's just not worth it."

The umpiring issue made headlines earlier this month when Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer said decisions went 29-5 against his team on the recent tour of Australia.

Bowden, who officiated in that series, recently rejected any suggestions of bias or being intimidated by the world champions.

"I don't care if one guy or 11 guys appeal, it doesn't worry me, and neither does the crowd because I've made my decision before they get excited," Bowden said.

"From my point of view I had a brilliant series in the (Australian) tests and the one-dayers."

Bowden and Dar will stand again in the second one-day international here on Tuesday.

- NZPA