India v Zimbabwe, VB Series, 8th ODI, Adelaide

Bucknor riles the Indians

Wisden Cricinfo staff

January 24, 2004

India have formally protested to Clive Lloyd after Steve Bucknor was caught mimicking Rahul Dravid on camera at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday. The team are said to be furious about the fact that Bucknor greeted Dravid's arrival at the crease by rolling his fingers over the ball, a reference to the ball-tampering allegation that cost Dravid 50% of his match fee in Brisbane, while looking at him suggestively.

According to the team management, the innuendo was blatant. It enraged the Indians so much that they took the unprecedented step of reporting Bucknor to the ICC match referee. Shivlal Yadav, the team manager, told the Times of India that Lloyd had promised to look into the matter.

Bucknor's version of events was predictably different. "I always check the ball between overs," he said. "I feel both sides of the ball with my fingers to see if there's any hanky panky going. At times, I even sniff at it to find out if any foreign substance has been applied on it."

The incident merely highlighted the team's disenchantment with Bucknor, who hasn't distinguised himself with some poor decision-making over the course of the summer.

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