Gavaskar critcises Bucknor, Benson

Sydney, Jan 6 (UNI) Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar today severely criticised the Bucknor-Benson duo for their shocking decisions in the second Test which India lost by 122 runs here at SCG.

After India lost the wickets of Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly by dubious umpiring decisions, Gavaskar said, the fielders will always go up in appeal, but it is the umpires' job to see whether a batsman was out or not.

''You cannot take the fielders word for it when the fielder as a batsman nicked the ball and did not walk. How can you be honest as a fielder and not as a batsman," asked Gavaskar.

The television replays confirmed that Dravid did not nick the Andrew Symonds delivery to Adam Gilchrist as it hit his pads while Sourav Ganguly's catch was floored by Michael Clarke and he was still given out by umpire Mark Benson.

Gavaskar was livid after Ganguly was adjudged out caught.

Replays showed that Benson had asked Australian skipper Ricky Ponting if Clark had held on to the catch cleanly. Ponting replied in the affirmative and Benson ruled Ganguly out.

''Benson should have asked his mate at square leg Steve Bucknor or referred it to the third umpire,'' he added.

The batting legend also pointed out that both Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting did not walk after nicking the ball while they were batting so how can the umpires take their word while making decisions.

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