SA v BAN 2022: Bangladesh to lodge formal complaint against poor umpiring and sledging

Bangladesh folded for 53 in second innings of 1st Test, losing by 220 runs to South Africa.

Bangladesh have complained of abuse and sledging from South Africa players| GettyThe Bangladesh team has decided to file a formal complaint to the International Cricket Council over claims of biased umpiring and "unbearable" sledging in the first Test against South Africa, officials said Tuesday.

The visitors were left furious after several close calls went against them in Durban, where they remained competitive for most of the match before a batting collapse saw them dismissed for 53 in the second innings. Bangladesh lost the first Test by 220 runs.

Players have since taken issue with their opponents for on-field taunts they said crossed the line into abuse.

"You all have seen how biased the umpiring was. On the field, sledging was also unbearable. We will write a formal complaint to the ICC match referee manager,” Bangladesh Cricket Board cricket operations chief Jalal Yunus told AFP.

Jalal further said that they had raised similar issues to match referee Andy Pycroft after their 2-1 ODI series win- their first on South African soil.

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"Our manager spoke to him several times. But he paid no attention to our complaint. We want the ICC to appoint neutral umpires in Test series as soon as possible. We are also ready to welcome neutral umpires in our home series,” Jalal said.

Skipper Mominul Haque said umpires did not intervene when South African players sledged their Bangladeshi opponents.

"Sledging is a normal thing. But if it comes to the stage of abuse, that is very bad. I think they abused us in the worst manner and umpires did not notice,” he said.

Earlier, Shakib Al Hasan, who is not a part of the South Africa Test series, had called for ICC to return back to neutral umpires in the series given the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was now at its lowest.

(AFP inputs)

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 05 Apr, 2022

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