Clive Lloyd on the Hooper/Boucher controversy
By Bob Dubery
29 December 1998
West Indies team manager Clive Lloyd has stated that he does not
believe that Mark Boucher's controversial catch to dismiss Carl Hooper
was fair, but he has refused to apportion blame to the wicketkeeper.
Boucher took the catch at a crucial stage of the match and when Hooper
had just two runs to his credit. Hooper got an inside edge and was
caught behind, but slow motion television replays suggested that
Boucher grounded the ball as he caught it. Hooper walked and the
on-field umpires did not call for the third umpire to adjudicate.
Lloyd and the team have adopted a philosophical attitude.
``It was just one of those things,'' said Lloyd today. ``Carl knew he had
hit it, but he wasn't sure what happened thereafter. If he'd stood
then the umpires could have decided it to refer the to the third
umpire. But he walked.''
``Our players aren't upset about it. Sometimes in those situations you
don't know if you've caught the ball or not. It's part and parcel of
the game.''
Lloyd went on to say that he felt greater use should be made of
technology as an aid in making decisions. ``If you have the technology
then you should use it. If it can be used to rectify situations like
this, why not?''
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