NZ and Lanka in row over controversial catch

New Zealand and Sri Lanka were involved in an angry World Cup stand-off yesterday when umpires struck down what appeared to be a clean catch by Kiwi slow bowler Nathan McCullum.


New Zealand's Nathan McCullum celebrates after taking a catch to dismiss
Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene which was later turned down by the third
umpire at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday. Pic/AFP

Veteran Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene, the vice-captain, tried to play a defensive shot in the 24th over against McCullum but ended up chipping the ball back to the bowler. McCullum dived and managed to get his right hand under the ball to cap a stunning effort.

But even as McCullum broke into a celebration, the TV umpire Amish Saheba was called in and he ruled it not out. A furious McCullum and Kiwi skipper Ross Taylor angrily protested the decision with on-field umpire Asad Rauf. Words were then exchanged between Jayawardene, who was on 26 at the time before going on to make 66, and the bowler while Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara stood at the bowler's end.u00a0"If I felt it was a clean catch, I would have walked," said Jayawardene.u00a0"It was a 50-50 thing and it was fair it went to the TV umpire."