These are my personal but strongly passionate views on the Toss…sadly the World Cup began with a controversial Toss
Judge for yourselves…listen attentively to hear Sri Lankan Captain Sangakkara call ‘Tails’ and the Match Referee Jeff Crowe stating it was ‘Heads’ and indicating to Dhoni that he had won the Toss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WDJRs0lnfY
Indian Captain Dhoni thought he had won the toss as Sri Lankan Captain,Sangakkara called ‘Tails’ incorrectly and Referee Jeff Crowe confirmed it was ‘Heads’ and even indicated to Dhoni that he had won….Dhoni shook hands with his Sri Lankan counterpart Sangakkara and and indicated that his decison to bat or bowl first…surely he would would have elected to bat !…he was beginning to move towards Ravi Shastri to talk about team composition…and was zapped that Sangakkara said he had called ‘Heads’ correctly….methinks one of these captains was simply not honourable and it was not the Indian Captain….the Referee Jeff Crowe asked for the toss to be done again and Sangakkara won this and promptly elected to bat….Dhoni simply moved away from him…I sensed disgust here and rightly so…..as studio commentator Ian Chappell rightly commented that honourable men would have sorted it out among themselves….surely Sangakkara must have called ‘Tails’ and it must have been heard by both,Dhoni and the Referee Jeff Crowe as the coin was tossed…as Jeff looked down at the coin and called it ‘Heads’ and indicated to Dhoni that he had won !……Methinks Sangakarra opted for this ruse and ploy and tactic to ensure that there was a second toss !…sad…shows a clear flaw in Sangakkara’s character !…in fact Saurav Ganguly on field at Wankhede revealed immediately post toss to the Commentators that Dhoni had told Shastri that he had won the toss !…this was relayed live on TV
India will now chase…Sreesanth is playing for injured Nehra…Sri Lanka has made four changes…Mendis,Silva,Herath and injured Mathews are out
Added at near 4pm with Sri Lanka at 60 for 1 after 16 overs
I am not alone in sensing the above view…just now TV Commentator Sunil Gavaskar just commented that Dhoni was not amused at the re-toss,as he had clearly won it the first time around… and he simply perfunctorily shook hands with Sangakkara when the Sri Lankan Captain won the retoss and briskly moved away
Added after 5pm after hearing Times Now raise the same issue with more clarity
Times Now panelists Arun Lal et all clarified that they heard Sangakkara call ‘Tails’ and the Referee Jeff Crowe bend down state it’s ‘Heads’ and indicate to Dhoni that he had won the Toss and Dhoni shook hands with Sangakkara and began moving to Shastri….so where was the confusion and the need for a re-toss!…and how in the hell can Jeff Crowe say he did not hear the Call when he bend down and stated it was ‘Heads’ and indicated to Dhoni that he had won the toss !…..and when so many had heard Sangakkara call ‘Tails’ and by post toss action of Referee Jeff Crowe confirming that it was ‘Heads’ and indicating to Dhoni that he had won the toss how in the hell can Sangakkara claim he had called ‘Heads ‘correctly ! ……so at fault here are clearly both,Sri Lankan Captain Sangakkara and Referee Jeff Crowe…this is clearly ‘Cheating’ of sorts !…and unbecoming of these two in a World Cup Final !…It’s just not Cricket !
8 thoughts on “World Cup Finals sadly begins in Mumbai with a Controversial Toss…..”
Jeff Crowe should have been alert. This is not the first time Sanga has been Dhed Shaana.
Anyway we will win the Match ! So its ok !
I agree that Jeff Crowe should have been alert and heard Dhoni’s call…clearly he too was at fault here and Sangakkara quickly seized the opportunity for a re-toss…’cheating’ of sorts….just not Cricket !
Jeff Crowe had Fevicol Ka Mazboot Jod !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WDJRs0lnfY
thanks Anand for the link..posted it on main blog
Satyamev Jayate 🙂
Cheers ! Aaj Sub Kuch Maaf Hai !
Look before you leap!
This is the link for the ‘Truth’ on the so called Toss ‘conspiracy’
http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/current/story/509133.html
So following Gaurav’s logic we can now call Dhoni a ‘cheat’ because he ‘heard’ the Heads call & still ‘acted’ as though he won the toss & acted in disgust when Sanga won the 2nd toss.
Or, for a change, we can act as mature adults & say that Dhoni & the match referee didn’t hear/misheard the call due to the stadium noise & hence did the fair & right thing – went for a 2nd toss
Remember it takes a lifetime to build your name & 5 minutes for it to be destroyed
I think an apology is due Gaurav!
Besides, if Dhoni had won the 2nd toss, batted first & lost media would still blame Jeff Crowe as if 1st toss was heard by Match referee then Sanga would have batted & lost! Incredible Indian Media/cricket fanatics Indeed!
P.S It reminds me of ‘sweet heart deals’ in business lingo. Heads I win, tails you lose!
I apologise for a quick reaction…but I was damn sure Sangakkara had seized the moment to create the confusion….Dhoni too was not amused….many reacted like me…commentators,ex cricketers etc…some even in better and closer positions to judge…anyway it will help if ICC investigates this and issues a clarification…and clears all three of any blame or suspicion…Dhoni,Sanga and Crowe….My Apologies anyway…my reaction was my passion for the game to be played in good spirit…no malafide inentions intended……Sorry Sanga and Crowe if indeed there was a genuine comedy of errors at the first toss….It was a good Game of Cricket…quite worthy of a Final…Cheers !