Wrong decisions on Sachin Tendulkar were mistakes, recalls Steve Bucknor
Former ICC umpire Steve Bucknor has admitted that he had made a couple of mistakes in adjudging the dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar but he defended himself by saying ‘to err is human’. The occasions in question, in 2003 and 2005, have since been famous for the umpiring mishaps of Bucknor.
It is a known fact that former International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire Steve Bucknor was pretty unpopular amongst Indian fans and the reason was him declaring Sachin Tendulkar out wrongly on several occasions. Bucknor recalled those incidents involving the former India cricketer and admitted that he had erroneously declared him out on two occasions.
Bucknor recalled the match at the Gabba in 2003 when he adjudged Tendulkar out LBW but now agreed that the Jason Gillespie delivery was going over the wickets. Further on, Bucknor also recollected the occasion when he thought Tendulkar had edged an Abdul Razzaq delivery into the hands of the wicket-keeper in 2005 in Kolkata. The Windies umpire admitted that it was a mistake and that he was overwhelmed by the crowd at the Eden Gardens.
"Tendulkar was given out on two different occasions when those were mistakes. I do not think any umpire would want to do a wrong thing. It lives with him and his future could be jeopardised," Bucknor said on Mason and Guests radio programme in Barbados.
"To err is human. Once in Australia, I gave him out leg before wicket and the ball was going over the top. Another time, in India it was caught behind. The ball deviated after passing the bat but there was no touch. But the match was at Eden Gardens and when you are at the Eden and India is batting, you hear nothing. Because 100,000 spectators are making noise. Those were the mistakes and I was unhappy. I am saying a human is going to make mistakes and accepting mistakes are part of life," he added.