Following his lbw dismissal during Australia‘s recent triumph over Sri Lanka, David Warner had an angry outburst and demanded that cricket umpires be held to a higher standard of accountability. When David Warner was hit by left-arm fast Dilshan Madushanka of Sri Lanka, Warner was given out lbw by umpire Joel Wilson for just 11 runs.
Visibly furious, David Warner examined the choice right away, only to be perplexed when ball-tracking equipment revealed that the ball had actually struck the outside of the leg stump. Warner was irate despite the review ultimately upholding the field-of-play choice.
“I just sprayed out loud in frustration pretty much – not just at myself – but [because] it kept low, and normally when something hits me on the leg on the outside, I know it’s pretty much going down leg,” David Warner was said to have said by ESPNcricinfo.
“When I went outside, I asked Joel what exactly happened and why he gave it out. He said that the ball was returning. To his credit, if that’s what he believes, that’s why he’s been given the go-ahead. But when you watch the replay of how it happened, you start to feel a little irritated. Warner added, explaining his reaction, “That’s beyond our control.
When the ball hits the pad, you can be sure which umpires will call such 50-50 calls: David Warner
The southpaw has advocated for increased openness in umpire performance, proposing that each official’s decision percentage stats be shown on the big screen alongside players’ batting averages.
“They’re just minor things to demonstrate to viewers that it’s difficult. When wise choices are made, they can explain why things are difficult and where they are difficult. Simply put, in my opinion, it merits further investigation, Warner continued.
The Australian cricketer has made it clear that he wants more accountability but does not believe the elite panel of umpires are biased. Intriguingly, Warner feels that the scenario with 50% calls becomes even more frustrating when a reputable umpire grants the hitter in question the “benefit of the doubt,” but it results in guys like him being ejected.
“From my point of view, that’s when it gets irritating because you can absolutely predict which umpires would award those 50-50 calls when the ball hits the pad. Nothing is biased in any way. The powerful Australian opener said, “As a player, you simply feel like that sometimes.
Warner’s annoyance wasn’t just with the umpires. He also criticized Hawk-Eye, a company that sells ball-tracking equipment, saying that players are not informed about how the system operates. There have been many instances during the current ODI World Cup 2023 when players and spectators have disagreed about technology.
“Hawk-Eye just works for the TV; I’ve never had someone come in and explain how the technology actually works. In other cases, we might not refer or [really] refer if they could come in and explain to us how it works, Warner said.