It is an epidemic, it’s embarrassing: Ricky Ponting hits out at umpires after slew of errors

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has slammed the umpires for failing to spot no-balls and has even called it an “epidemic”. James Pattinson was denied a wicket in SCG when he was found to have overstepped the line in replays. The Seven Network also claimed that the on-field umpires failed to call four other no-balls in Pattinson’s previous two overs, before he claimed the wicket.

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This match is not an isolated incident - in the ongoing match between England and South Africa, Stuart Broad too had a wicket taken off his quota when he was called for a no-ball one ball after he wasn’t called for overstepping. Broadcasters later revealed that as many as 12 had been missed in the session.

The ICC have started assigning the task of calling out no-balls to third umpires in limited-overs matches, but Ponting believes this is no excuse for the on-field umpires to not be vigilant and awake to situations out on the field.

“I am not having it for one minute that the umpires are not looking at it,” the former Test captain said during commentary.

“(To say) they are looking at the strikers’ end only. That is not good enough. It is part of umpiring. It is part of what comes with the job.

“It is no different than missing a wide or a leg bye. It is still an on-field decision that the umpires have to make.

“It is an epidemic around the world. I watched a lot of the Test last night (between South Africa and England) and it was embarrassing.”

It should be mentioned here that not calling no balls favours the batting side as the bowlers are not aware they have to make the adjustments and hence, when they are called out, they have to lose out on wickets.