Indian media back England on umpiring row

New Delhi, January 20: The Indian media sympathised with England's cricketers Sunday, saying Marcus Trescothick's controversial dismissal affected the tourists' chances in the opening day-night match.

England were all out for 259 in reply to India's 281-8 to lose by 22 runs at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta on Saturday, but not before being stunned by a controversial umpiring decision, resulting in Trescothick's dismissal.

Trescothick smashed the fastest-ever one-day hundred for England, taking just 80 balls to surpass former captain David Gower's record of an 82-ball century against New Zealand at Adelaide in 1982-83.

The England opener sustained his team's hopes with a rapidfire 121 off 109 balls before being adjudged leg-before off a Javagal Srinath delivery which appeared to have pitched outside the leg-stump.

"I am obviously frustrated with certain things. The game was the loser, not England," said skipper Nasser Hussain, one of the four leg-before victims in the England innings.

"Everyone saw what happened. It was not good for us," said Hussain. "The ICC (International Cricket Council) and other people should take a look at it and not I as the England captain."

Asked whether he would lodge a complaint with the ICC, Hussain said: "I would not like to comment on it.

"After every match the captain files a captain's report to the match-referee. I have filed my report. It is between me and the match-referee and him and the ICC."

England were strongly placed at 224-4 when man-of-the-match Trescothick was adjudged leg-before by Indian umpire S. K. Sharma in the 36th over.

His dismissal sparked a sensational collapse which saw the tourists lose their last five wickets for 35 runs.

The Indian newspapers lashed out at the umpiring, especially at Sharma for giving Trescothick out.

"India lbw England," screamed a front-page headline in the Asian Age, referring to the England opener's dismissal.

"His (Trescothick) dismissal was authored not by Srinath, but by one S. K. Sharma," said the Telegraph.

"The umpire adjudged him leg-before to a delivery that pitched outside the leg-stump. The verdict turned the match on its head. It is time the ICC panel umpires started officiating in one-dayers too."

The Hindu said it was a pity that the England opener's innings ended on a sad note.

"England opener Marcus Trescothick was every inch a winner for a sensational hundred under pressure," the paper said.

"It is pity that such a glorious innings ended on a sad note. The delivery from Srinath, to which Trescothick was adjudged leg-before by umpire S. K. Sharma, appeared to have pitched outside the leg-stump."

Hussain said his team was now looking forward to the second one-dayer, starting at Cuttack on Tuesday.

"Decisions go against you, but you cannot sit and brood over them," he said. "You have to look at the positive side. I am really proud of my team's performance."