Bad luck
Graveney: Beaten by a better team
Posted: Tuesday January 05, 1999 12:18 PM
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Graveney feels England was the victim of some bad calls AP |
LONDON (AP) -- While admitting England's cricketers were beaten by a far better Australian team, chairman of selectors David Graveney said Tuesday they were also let down by dropped catches, an umpiring blunder and bad luck.
The umpiring mistake in the fifth Test, shown clearly on TV, particularly hurt, he said.
"The difference between Michael Slater being given out in the second innings was 88 runs, roughly the margin of defeat and if that had gone our way who knows what would have happened," Graveney said after Tuesday's 98-run loss gave Australia the series 3-1.
Slater appeared to be run out by a direct Dean Headley throw while on 35 but the umpire ruled he was home. The opener went on to make 123 in Australia's second innings before the home team, led by leg spinner Stuart MacGill's seven for 50, bowled England out for another low score.
Graveney said Slater's escape wasn't England's only piece of bad luck. Australian captain Mark Taylor had an advantage all the way through by winning the toss and being able to decide who bats first.
"You have to remember we are playing against Australia, who are the top team in the world. We knew we had to play at our optimum to win but we didn't get much luck along the way, with five lost tosses," Graveney said.
But England's players didn't help themselves either, he told BBC Radio Five Live.
"They scored eight centuries in the series to our two and there were other areas like dropped catches. The regrettable thing is that it is only when we get backed into a corner that we start having a scrap."
The fact that England won the fourth test and had a slim chance of winning the last and tying the series, showed that it wasn't completely one-sided, he said.
"We played very well in the last couple of tests which was pleasing for the supporters who had paid a lot of money to come out here," Graveney said.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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