Forget neutral umpires and pick the best
Darren Lehmann and Derek Pringle say the light troubles of the final could have been avoided if Simon Taufel, the world’s best umpire, was able to stand
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Darren Lehmann and Derek Pringle say the light troubles of the final could have been avoided if Simon Taufel, the world’s best umpire, was able to stand. Malcolm Conn reports in The Australian Taufel was ineligble because he was not neutral.
"I have a view that the best umpires should umpire the best games regardless of what country they're from because they'll do the best job," Lehmann said. "Neutrality should not be an issue when you are pursuing excellence," Pringle wrote in The Daily Telegraph.
Conn also writes a comment piece questioning the ICC’s inconsistent decision making when it concerns umpires.
So here's the very clear message. If you're determined to try and enforce the rules of cricket without fear or favour, you're every chance of being sacked ... But if you stuff up the game's major moment then you're OK because the ICC stuffs up things all the time.
Peter English is former Australasia editor of ESPNcricinfo