Mumbai lodge complaint against third umpire

The Mumbai Indians have launched an official complaint against Suresh Shastri, the third umpire, over two 'contentious' run-out decisions that went against them in their match against Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday. Mumbai lost the crucial encounter by one run in the last over, a result which has made their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals more difficult.

The first run-out appeal, in the ninth over of Punjab's innings, involved Luke Pomersbach. Shaun Pollock's throw from deep extra cover appeared to hit the stumps directly with the batsman short of his ground. However, the replays were inconclusive as to whether the ball had indeed dislodged the bails or if Dwayne Smith, the bowler, made contact with the stumps. Pomersbach, then on 21, was given the benefit of the doubt and he went on to score 79.

The second decision, involving Smith, occurred in the ninth over of Mumbai's innings. Smith was struggling to make his ground after being refused a single by Sachin Tendulkar, and the bowler Piyush Chawla appeared to knock off the bails with his arm though with the ball in hand but again the replays weren't entirely convincing.

"Yes, I can confirm that the franchise owners have filed an official complaint," Lalchand Rajput, the coach, said on the eve of the match against the Delhi Daredevils in Delhi.

Tendulkar, the Mumbai captain, too felt aggrieved at the decisions. "The whole world has watched what it was all about," he said. "Everyone has seen what happened and in whose favour the decisions eventually went. Had we got those two run-out decisions our way, we would have added two more runs to the tally and won the match."

Shastri, however, defended his decisions, saying he went by the law. "I don't want to make any comments. I can only say I went by law 28.1 (The wicket is down)." The law states that a dismissal is made if a bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or a stump is struck out of the ground by (i) the ball, (ii) the striker's bat, whether he is holding it or has let go of it, (iii) the striker's person or by any part of his clothing or equipment becoming detached from his person, (iv) a fielder, with his hand or arm, providing that the ball is held in the hand or hands so used, or in the hand of the arm so used.