THE tensions between Australia and India threatened to boil over again yesterday on the first day of the four-Test series when Ricky Ponting survived a close caught-and-bowled decision to Anil Kumble.
The two captains, who were in charge during a spiteful series in Australia in 2007-08, were at the centre of the incident late on the first day of the opening Test at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Ponting was on 110 and Australia 201-2 when he drove a fu
ll-pitched delivery from Kumble straight back to the bowler. The leg spinner appealed to umpire Rudi Koertzen, who wasn't convinced and thought it was a bump ball. After a short delay, and with the Indians confident Ponting was out, Koertzen checked with square-leg umpire Asad Rauf, who agreed with the original decision.
Initially, it looked like Ponting had hit the ball into the ground but television replays created some doubt.
"At the time, I was positive I hit the ball on the full," Ponting said. "I was sort of expecting it to dribble back to Anil, but I looked up and he was taking the ball in front of his face. I couldn't work out what had happened with it. I haven't seen a replay, but at the time I was pretty sure I'd hit it into the ground."
Ponting also survived a loud lbw appeal from Kumble on 116 before he was adjudged lbw to Harbhajan Singh for 123. It was his 36th Test century, the second most in history behind Sachin Tendulkar's 39, and it pushed Australia toward 254-4 at stumps.
In January, Kumble accused the Australians of not playing in the spirit of the game as India threatened to pull out of the three-Test tour that Australia won 2-1. His comments came after the second Test in Sydney, which contained excessive appealing, poor player behaviour and a race row involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds.
Both captains said this week they expect the current series to be played in the right spirit, but Ponting said he felt "insulted" by India batsman Virender Sehwag's claims Australia reneged on a catching pact during the previous series.
Match referee Chris Broad has told both teams to avoid making inappropriate public comments and warned code-of-conduct charges could be laid.
The full article contains 392 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
