Harper hits back hard at Indian players

New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) Australian umpire Daryl Harper, under fire from Indian players following his poor decisions in the first Test in Kingston, hit back saying West Indies team had expressed concerns of over-appealing by India.

'West Indies expressed concern over Indian players' habit of charging at umpires when appealing which is against the spirit of the game,' said Harper.

Defending his wrong decision on Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's wicket in the first Test, Harper said: 'Errors in international cricket matches were as common as Indians eating beef burgers. I should never have applied the laws of cricket to Indian players.'

On his exchange of words with Dhoni, Harper said: 'We did not share many pleasantries in the match.'

Harper, however, admitted that the Kingston Test was not his best of the year. Stung by severe criticism, Harper decided to step down from the third Test, which would have been his farewell match.

'I didn't have my best game of the year but referee Jeff Crowe, who observed every ball, calculated that I had managed to get 94 percent of all my decisions correct. That analysis was confirmed from (International Cricket Council) headquarters in our Dubai office,' Harper was quoted as saying by Headlines Today.

Recalling the wrong decisions, Harper said: 'There was one LBW against Harbhajan Singh that would have been reversed had the Decision Review System been available. I also failed to detect a no ball when West Indian Bishoo's back foot touched the side or return crease. It's about as common as Indians eating beef burgers.'

On his decision against batsman Virat Kohli, Harper said: 'Another decision that was notable involved Virat Kohli. He flashed wide of his body at a short ball that passed well outside his body down the leg side. He clearly gloved the ball and was given out. Replays could not confirm that my decision was right...and they could not confirm that my decision was wrong.'


Harper hits back hard at Indian players