Cricket: Action demanded after Broad stays put

Australia were flabbergasted when Stuart Broad didn't walk. Photo / Getty Images

Stuart Broad was at the centre of controversy in the Ashes yesterday with the International Cricket Council urged to suspend him for breaching the spirit of cricket.

Broad was under fire for failing to walk when umpire Aleem Dar gave him not out despite a blatant edge off Ashton Agar that captain Michael Clarke caught at slip.

Commentator Michael Holding led the calls for Broad to be punished by the ICC under the same rules that had West Indies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin suspended for two one-day matches during the Champions Trophy for claiming a catch he knew had been grounded.

He was punished for breaching the "spirit of cricket", which is not a formal part of the ICC playing conditions but is widely promoted by the MCC and forms a preamble to the laws of cricket.

"Broad played the ball and stood there. He has done the same thing, is that not contrary to the spirit of the game?" Holding asked. "I am worried the ICC have opened up a very dicey situation. What Ramdin did was wrong. He should have said to his team-mates: 'Listen, the ball came out; we cannot appeal for that.' He knows the ball has hit the ground and all he has done is throw the ball towards the umpire. He did not appeal. What Stuart Broad did is the same thing. He just pretended he actually didn't hit the ball.

"If the ICC is going to fine Ramdin 50 per cent of his match fee and suspend him, saying his actions were contrary to the spirit of the game, then what Stuart Broad did is contrary to the spirit of the game."

The incident came at a crucial moment on a tense third day of the first test with Broad adding 108 runs in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand with Ian Bell that has swung the match in England's favour.

It was the latest umpiring mistake to mar a thrilling test, with Australia feeling the same sense of injustice that England endured a day earlier after Jonathan Trott was given out lbw when the Hot Spot machine broke down.

Australia were furious with Broad. Darren Lehmann, their coach, was pictured on the balcony of the dressing room seemingly swearing. The Australian fielders gave Broad, who was on 20 then, a hard time out in the middle but he ignored the ill feeling to finish 47 not out.

Clarke had already used Australia's two referrals and Broad's decision to continue sparked a debate over the batsman's ethics, Clarke's decision-making and Dar's future as a test umpire.

Australia's Peter Siddle claimed it was "no big deal" and asked "how many people have ever walked?" Former Australia spinner Shane Warne blasted Dar on Twitter, fuming that "he's always had no idea. We all make mistakes and it's a very tough job being an umpire but when Dar continually makes crucial mistakes, why does he keep getting a gig?"

Another former Australian player, Rodney Hogg, also argued Dar should be taken off the test circuit. "If you can't drive, they take your licence off you," he tweeted. "But if you can't umpire you just keep doing test matches."

The ICC match referee, Ranjan Madugalle, will decide at the end of the match whether to take action against Broad. By banning Ramdin for an offence that is based on an interpretation of an ethical code, the ICC has set itself a precedent.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen defended Broad, insisting England played by the rules and shrugging off the suggestion it evened up the mistake over Trott. "Each and every player who plays for their country, their club side, for their franchise or their county has the opportunity to wait for the decision the umpire makes and you respect the umpire's decision," Pietersen said.

"Aleem Dar is a fantastic umpire and he has been rated one of the best umpires in world cricket over the last few years. Wait and respect his decision."

Australia have clashed with Dar before. Ricky Ponting was fined for a bust-up with him during the Boxing Day test on the last Ashes tour.

Australia had used up their two reviews and Broad knew he would survive if given not out. "You've got to use the rule well," Pietersen said. "You only get two goes at it."

Australia would have been spared their anger had they not wasted their one remaining review on an appeal against Jonny Bairstow eight minutes before lunch. Shane Watson's inswinging delivery to Bairstow struck the Yorkshire player in line with the stumps but looked to the naked eye like it was heading down leg side.