The Sunday Mail
Robson Sharuko in HOBART
THE global cricket community erupted with rage yesterday after a horrible umpiring decision, which some equated to Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God”, knocked Zimbabwe out of the ICC Cricket World Cup here yesterday.
For a sport called the “gentleman’s game”, cricket will be forced to look itself in the mirror today following the controversy at the Blundstone Arena yesterday.
Ireland’s five-run win, in a high-scoring match, will forever be overshadowed by questions over their honesty, with one Indian website even going to the extent of saying that they had “cheated” their way to victory.
A classic match, dubbed the best so far in this tournament, turned farcical when outstanding Zimbabwe batsman Sean Williams was wrongly dismissed.
Tragically, even the television umpire, Joel Wilson of the West Indies, somehow missed what was a clear stamp on the boundary by Irish fielder John Mooney as he completed a catch off Williams’ bat.
What was supposed to have been a six became a dismissal and, as fate might have it, Zimbabwe then lost the contest by just five runs.
Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody was clear that Mooney touched the rope with his boot, something that was supported by television replays.
“Felt for @ZimCricketv tonight, great effort trying to chase down 332, game changed dramatically with the Sean Williams dismissal,” he tweeted.
Twitter was buzzing with the BBC saying “Controversy! Williams goes for 96 but did Mooney’s foot touch the boundary? What a game.”
The responses on the BBC Sport Twitter page from around the world were clear that Mooney’s foot made contact with the boundary.
Kashif Effendi was scathing in his response: “@BBCSport, cheating Irish and then they complain about Henry in football” — in reference to Thierry Henry’s goal, scored by the aid of a hand, which knocked the Irish out of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup qualifiers.
Andrew Thompson weighed in saying the incident “will forever be known in Harare & Bulawayo as #Pepsigate,” in reference to the Pepsi advertising board that Mooney stamped on.
Former Zimbabwe Sports Minister David Coltart said the incident reminded him of a cheating Maradona at the ’86 Soccer World Cup when he used his hand to score against England and knock them out of the quarter-finals.
“Not the same at stake but Mooney’s ‘catch’ much like Maradona’s ‘Hand of God Goal’ in 1986 Football World Cup,” tweeted Coltart. “Let’s be quite clear about this — main fault lies with 3rd umpire Joel Wilson — very poor umpiring decision when we could all see the rope move. Well, Ireland, if that is what you call cricket then you just don’t know the meaning of the game. Tom Moody and the rest of us could see that Mooney moved the rope.”
Former Zimbabwe coach Alan Butcher was also critical.
“So I’ve learnt something today . . . apparently the probability of discernible rope movement being caused by an optical illusion is greater ½,” tweeted the Englishman.
The Indian Express said “Ireland pip Zimbabwe in thriller after controversial umpiring decision,” while One.India.com added: “Catch controversy hits World Cup as Sean Williams, Zimbabwe ‘cheated’.”
Zimbabwe’s coach Dav Whatmore, who took Sri Lanka to World Cup glory in 1996, was livid with the decision as he jumped out of his chair in the dressing room after watching the replays.
English newspapers were not left out, with the Times saying “Ireland beat Zimbabwe by five after controversial John Mooney catch”. The paper went on to say “Replays appeared to show Mooney stepped on the boundary rope when he held on to remove Sean Williams, who was four short of a century and seemingly in control of the pursuit”.
