The charade continues (-worma)

Justin Langer thinks that Warne has a 'great' appeal...one which reflects his passion for the game. Well...then ICC needs to make a passion-o-meter for excessive-appeal offenders then....I guess?

"He thinks it out and he gives it a big appeal. To me that's just part of the game, part of the great theatre of the great Shane Warne.

"Yes he's putting pressure on the umpires but to me ... they think it's out and they appeal accordingly."

I think Langer missed an ICC rule-book gift this christmas. Wonder if he has time, what with all the injuries, to look it up on the net?..its the rule about excessive appealing, just for reference Justin. And what's this about 'they think it's out'? Oh I get it...they're the Aussies...we should take their word for it, right? What if the umpire gives it not-out (as Roebuck points out in his column..link later)...I hope then he would be ok with penalizing of the 'same' players for over-appealing

And about the similarity with subcontinent situation he says

"In the past we've been critical of over-appealing on the subcontinent but if you look at it, that's almost the nature of the game in those circumstances," said Langer, who is set to return from a hamstring injury for Monday's third and final Test in Sydney.

"There are people around the bat, there's a lot of action, particularly when you've got class bowlers.

"India have (Anil) Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, here we have Warnie and (Stuart) MacGill.

Well...the same Indian team has been punished for over-appealing in the past (and not a gentle 'ohh it would be good if he refrained' by the referee). Also, the same SA team played in India recently (tests and later ODIs as well) without similar charges coming up? Its not as if they were steam-rolling us anyway so didn't find it necessary to complain.

Peter Roebuck, in his latest column, has this to say of the issue

Previously stoic in his rejection of unduly long appeals, Rauf finally wilted and sent Ashwell Prince on his way, though the gritty left-hander had clearly missed the ball. All summer the Australians has been over-appealing but the match referees had refused to protect their umpires. It's about time they earned their keep.

Well put. It's about time the official-dome decided that the Aussies are not above the law.