Australian umpire Daryl Harper has admitted that he committed errors while officiating in the first cricket Test between India and the West Indies but said Indian players too did not play in the spirit of the game.
Harper, who withdrew from the third Test starting on July 6 at Roseau, Dominica after severe criticism from the Indian players, sarcastically said that he should not have applied the laws of cricket to them.
“I didn’t have my best game of the year but referee Jeff Crowe, who observed every ball, calculated that I had managed to get 94% of all my decisions correct. That analysis was confirmed from headquarters in our Dubai office,” Harper said about the series-opener, which India won by 63 runs.
“There was one LBW against Harbhajan that would have been reversed had Decision Review System been available. I also failed to detect a no ball when West Indian Bishoo’s back foot touched the side or return crease. It’s about as common as Indians eating beef burgers,” he told “Headlines Today”.
Harper, who is no more a part of the ICC Elite panel of Umpires, said even the West Indies players were not happy with the on-field behaviour of the Indian players.
“WI expressed concern over Indian players’ habit of charging at umpires when appealing which is against the spirit of the game,” Harper said.
“I should never have applied the laws of cricket to Indian players,” he said sarcastically.
On his exchange of words with Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harper said, “We did not share many pleasantries in the match.”
On his decision against Indian middle-order batsman Virat Kohli, Harper said, “Another decision that was notable involved Virat Kohli. He flashed wide of his body at a short ball that passed well outside his body down the leg side. He clearly gloved the ball and was given out.
“Replays could not confirm that my decision was right and they could not confirm my decision was wrong,” he wrote.