Bangladesh to lodge formal complaint with ICC against Durban Test umpiring

Bangladesh will lodge an official complaint about South Africa's "deplorable" sledging during the Durban Test after, according to them, the umpires ignored their on-field complaints. The BCB is, in fact, planning to complain to the ICC about both the sledging as well as the overall umpiring during the game.

Bangladesh have already filed one complaint - about the umpiring - during the ODI series, but want to take up some other issues that cropped up during the Test, which Bangladesh lost on the final day by 220 runs after collapsing for 53 in their second innings.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, BCB cricket operations chief Jalal Yunus said, "We have already lodged one complaint about the umpiring after the ODI series. The match referee [Andy Pycroft] had an argument with our manager Nafees Iqbal, but then we gave him a written complaint. We will lodge another official complaint about this Test match."

Mominul Haque, the Bangladesh captain, also spoke up, joining Yunus as well as team director Khaled Mahmud, selector Habibul Bashar and Shakib Al Hasan in expressing disgruntlement with the umpiring.

"Sledging is quite normal, but the umpires didn't seem to notice it," Mominul said after the game. "The umpiring in the match is not in our control, but I think the ICC should think about bringing back neutral umpires."

On Sunday, after the fourth day's play, Mahmud and Bashar criticised the match officials, while Shakib, who left the tour early because of personal reasons, had also tweeted that the ICC should look at reinstating neutral umpires considering the improved Covid-19 situation in most parts of the cricketing world. At the end of the fourth day's play, Tamim Iqbal was also seen speaking to the umpires but it is not clear what they spoke about.

Bangladesh made lbw appeals on multiple occasions during South Africa's second innings, especially in the first two sessions on Sunday. They opted for a review when Dean Elgar was given not out on the field by umpire Marais Erasmus in the fifth over after being hit on his back leg. But he survived on umpire's call as ball-tracking showed that the ball was only clipping off stump.

Then, in the 19th over of the innings, Bangladesh successfully overturned Adrian Holdstock's not-out decision for an lbw against Sarel Erwee. According to ESPNcricinfo's ball-by-ball commentary, it "looked so out to the naked eye and it was a surprise that the on-field call was not given despite a screeching appeal".

In the 26th over, Khaled Ahmed was denied an lbw decision against Keegan Petersen. Bangladesh didn't take that review but replays showed that it would have hit the stumps and would have been out had the review been taken.

The main indication that emotions were running high was when, on the fourth morning, Ebadot Hossain, while bowling, threw the ball back in Dean Elgar's direction after it was hit to him, and the pair exchanged words. Umpire Holdstock had to ask the players to calm down.

Yunus also went back to the issue with the sightscreens, which delayed the start of the Test. He said that Bangladesh had expected the umpires to make up for the lost time as the Test went along.

"There hasn't been impartial umpiring in this Test match," he said. "It started on the first day. We were held up for half an hour at the start of the game because of the sightscreens. We were deprived of the initial advantage.

"To make up this half an hour, they extended the lunch session, instead of starting early, which we usually see. It is definitely at the umpire's discretion, but generally we see them making up for lost time by starting early. These are subtle technical things."

It is, however, understood that both the teams had agreed to the playing conditions, which includes the rule when it comes to making up for lost time, before the start of the Test.

Yunus said that Bangladesh were also concerned about how the umpires treated the Bangladesh players when they complained about the sledging by the home side.

"They surrounded [Mahmudul Hasan] Joy when he went out to bat," he said. "They were saying something. He couldn't say anything back since he is a junior player. It was deplorable. Instead of controlling the situation, the umpires warned our players whenever we made complaints against the sledging.

"Sledging definitely took place from both sides, but when they started it and took it overboard, we complained to the umpires. It wasn't acceptable. We properly condemn it. We have to accept the umpires' decisions, but the ICC must reinstate neutral umpires."