Vaughan urges technology rethink

COLOMBO—England captain Michael Vaughan believes Kevin Pietersen’s dismissal on day one of the second Test should have been referred to the television umpire.
Umpires Aleem Dar and Daryl Harper gave Pietersen caught for one in a slip cordon ricochet, although replays suggested the ball was grounded.
They did not ask for a TV replay and Vaughan told BBC Sport: “I honestly think that common sense has to prevail. “You’ve got the technology, let’s use it,” he added. “There’s no way you can be 100% sure the ball carried.
“Common sense should have prevailed, and I’m sure the umpires will feel exactly that way now. “It has cost us a wicket, but 258 is still a lot of runs on a first-day wicket.”
England ended the day on 258-5 against Sri Lanka in Colombo after their bright start was derailed by the controversy - and two wickets in two balls for Lasith Malinga.
Pietersen edged a drive at Chaminda Vaas and watched as Chamara Silva scooped up the ball narrowly above the turf. It squeezed out of Silva’s fingers after a juggle and was seized by the alert Kumar Sangakkara, fielding at first slip, to spark huge Sri Lankan celebrations.
Harper consulted with Dar but they did not deem it necessary to call for the third umpire and Pietersen was given out. Pietersen started to walk but stopped after England fans booed the decision when the replay was shown on the large screen.
He was told to leave the field for a second time by Australian umpire Harper and vented his anger back in the pavilion. On television when you get so close to the ground you can’t tell, he maintrained.
It was later confirmed Pietersen would not face censure for the hesitation, but match referee Jeff Crowe did admit the referral rule may have to be changed. “Maybe we have to look at how it’s written, that’s pretty much what I’d be saying to the ICC,” he said.
“The umpires always try to run by the letter of the law - how it’s written down. So that’s why they are sometimes reluctant to refer it up because it is obvious to everyone their sight wasn’t obscured.”
Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss said Silva was convinced the catch had been taken cleanly. “It was one of those ones that, if referred to the TV umpire, would be not out because on television when you get so close to the ground you can’t tell,” he said.
Bayliss was pleased with the way Sri Lanka came back into the game in the final session. “To come back the way we did to slow them down in the second session and then to take four in the last session was a good effort,” he said.
“It was like in Kandy where they showed some character to come back into the game. “It is evenly poised at the moment - I am sure England will be looking at 400 and we would like to keep them under 350.”
Vaughan confirmed that England would look towards getting 400 on day two. “We have got five guys who can get us to 400 and beyond and put them under a lot of pressure.
“Apart from Sangakkara and Jayawardene, they have an inexperienced batting line-up, so if we get a good score we can put them under pressure.” Vaughan himself was frustrated he did not reach a century, after short-leg fielder Jehan Mubarak caught the ball between his legs, when the captain was on 87. “I get out in peculiar ways. I’m disappointed I didn’t go on and get a big hundred,” he added.—Agencies