Cricket: Australian skipper leaps to the defence of Bowden

CHENNAI - The Bangalore crowd was so noisy that it cost home team opener Virender Sehwag his wicket at a crucial time in the opening cricket test against Australia.

New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden got it horribly wrong when he gave Sehwag out leg-before off a big inside edge in the second innings that left India 1-1 as they attempted to survive the last two days.

It was a decision that was pilloried in the local media, but Bowden, officiating in his first test in India, appealed for understanding.

He was surprised by the ear-splitting noise levels from the crowd that made it virtually impossible for him to hear snicks.

Australian captain Adam Gilchrist had earlier told him: "Mate, I wouldn't do your job for quids."

Bowden said after Australia clinched the match by 217 runs: "Everybody makes a mistake.

"There are ups and downs in everyone's career. You have to move on. This is the first time I've umpired under such circumstances ... it's just too noisy."

Bowden talked to Sehwag on the field and told him: "Sorry."

Sehwag, who was later fined A$5000 ($5500) - 65 per cent of his match fee - for showing dissent about the decision, replied: "It's okay."

Bowden and fellow umpire Steve Bucknor made at least seven incorrect calls during the test, most of them going against India.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly refused to be critical. "You've all seen it on television," he said.

"We understand that and we have to move forward."

Gilchrist also said the bad decisions should be left in the past, before harking back to the shocker of a leg-before verdict he received from Harbhajan Singh's hat-trick ball at Calcutta in 2001.

"There have been a great deal of words written about the umpires and lots of airtime on television, but it goes without saying that some decisions will go against batsmen at some time, and on this occasion India were on the receiving end more often than not," he said.

"You've got to move on. There aren't many people in this room who've played in front of a crowd like that. The noise is extraordinary. You have no idea if a batsman has bat-padded, or got an inside-edge, or whatever.

"It's a very difficult job, made more difficult in these conditions.

"You have to accept it and move on, and not get too critical.

"I understand the frustrations of the Indians in this game. But then, apart from two umpires, no one's ever congratulated me for walking. And yet here, I was made to feel bad for appealing for Virender Sehwag's dismissal.

"As far as I knew, it was out. I've since seen there was some bat involved, but why should we be made to feel bad?

"Let's be consistent."

- AAP