Cricket: To walk or not to walk remains a curly question

Australia's Matthew Hayden is caught by Black Cap Nathan Astle on day two of the first cricket test in Christchurch. Picture / Fotopress

The question of walking was thrown into sharp relief again yesterday after a hairline decision on the second day of the opening transtasman test.

Australian opening batsman Matt Hayden was given the benefit of the doubt by the television umpire midway through the day, despite New Zealand fieldsman Craig Cumming claiming a catch off his bat when the total was just 30.

Cumming, fielding at backward square, threw himself to his left and appeared to clasp a fine, diving catch at grass-top level, sparking celebrations among the home side.

However, the congratulations turned sour when umpire Aleem Dar sent the appeal upstairs for closer examination, where it was eventually vetoed by colleague Tony Hill following several slow-motion replays.

Hayden was later dismissed by New Zealand debutant Iain O'Brien for 35, as Australia responded to New Zealand's first innings total of 433 by reaching 141 for 3 at stumps, with Ricky Ponting unbeaten on 41 and Jason Gillespie on 0 not out.

But by far the biggest controversy of the day was the claimed catch, when Hayden's score was just eight, just a few balls after he appeared to be trapped dead in front by James Franklin, only to be given not out by umpire Dar.

Zoomed-in televised replays showed Cumming catching the ball cleanly above the grass but appeared to cast doubt on whether he was able to hold it clear of the ground as he tumbled off balance.

Not surprisingly, the New Zealanders appeared disappointed with the decision, which left Cumming shaking his head and a number of fieldsmen with what looked like plenty to say to Hayden as he took strike.

The laws of cricket insist that a catch is valid only if the ball is controlled above the ground throughout the fieldsman's movement.

The issue has become a constant source of debate since the advancement of television technology, and was in the news as recently as November, when Mathew Sinclair stood his ground after edging into the slips in the first test at Brisbane.

Not convinced that the development is a good one, Australia have attempted to circumvent the problem by inviting opposing sides to agree on a pact in which each team will accept the fieldsman's word, something they were able to achieve last year against Sri Lanka.

However, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming refused to be party to the agreement in Australia last November and has remained consistent in this series, preferring to leave each case up to the players involved.

Australia have also been knocked back by India and Pakistan, neither of whom were prepared to instruct their players to walk on the word of the opposition fieldsmen.

Nathan Astle said afterwards there was no doubt in the New Zealand camp that the catch had been fairly taken.

"Oh, it was out," said Astle. "I mean, our whole team thought it was out, and that's all I can say. We thought it was out, but Hayden stood his ground, and that was it. The umps went upstairs, but for some reason they couldn't see it on TV."

Contrary to most expectations the test remains in the balance this morning after New Zealand managed to add another 168 runs yesterday, as Hamish Marshall advanced his overnight score to 146, and Astle pushed his through to 74.

Marshall's score was the fifth highest by a New Zealander against Australia, and left him with a test average of 127.50, the highest in the world.

The Northern Districts batsman was eventually bowled around his legs by a leg-spinner from Shane Warne, who persuaded a ball to turn viciously from outside leg-stump.

New Zealand landed some important blows before stumps, chipping out both openers and Damien Martyn, who was adjudged leg-before to Vettori despite television replays showing an inside edge.