Former England batter Paul Collingwood said his ‘good friend’ Michael Gough could have taken a couple more minutes and checked a few more angles before adjudging Sanju Samson’s dismissal in the IPL 2024 match between DC and RR in New Delhi. On Tuesday, third umpire Gough gave Samson out after checking replays of the contentious catch taken by Shai Hope along the boundary in the 16th over of Rajasthan’s unsuccessful chase of 222 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Michael Gough’s decision swung the game in favour of Delhi as Samson was adjudged out on 86 off 46 balls. Rajasthan imploded after the dismissal as they went from 162 for 3 to 201 for 8 in the end of 20 overs, losing the contest by 20 runs to the Capitals. Samson, in the 16th over bowled by Mukesh Kumar, tried to hit a length ball over long-on. However, he was not able to get enough elevation to clear Shai Hope, who was along the boundary rope. Hope came up with an exceptional effort to stop a six as he tip-toed around the boundary and claimed the catch.
The on-field umpires were not sure of the completion of the catch and sent the decision upstairs to the third umpire. Michael Gough did not take long before he gave it out as only one angle of the replay was checked. As the big screen displayed OUT, Samson was shocked and he began arguing with the on-field umpires. RR head coach Kumar Sangakkara was seemingly not impressed with Gough’s decision as the replay angle used by the third umpire did not conclusively prove that Hope took the catch without his right shoe touching the boundary rope.
“Goughy (Michael Gough) is a very good friend of mine. So I am going to defend him (chuckles). Maybe he could have given himself another angle, just to double-check. Because it was so, so close. Those decisions and those moments make a huge difference. So maybe he could have given himself a little bit more time,” Collingwood, one of the greatest fielders in the sport, told Star Sports.
“I know in the IPL, the organisers want to quicken things up, the umpires are being told that they have got to quicken the decisions. I think, on this occasion, a couple of more angles, just to clarify could have put everybody at ease. That might have been the best way to go,” he added.
Delhi co-owner Parth Jindal was also animated as he passionately gestured toward the field, suggesting that Samson was out. Parth’s animated reactions from the stands at the Arun Jaitley Stadium went viral.
Rajasthan struggled for momentum after Samson’s wicket and they felt the absence of finisher Shimron Hetmyer, who did not play Tuesday’s match due to a niggle.
Rishabh Pant wonderfully marshalled his troops after Samson’s wicket as Delhi won by 20 runs and kept their playoffs hopes alive. Rajasthan, who missed out on an opportunity to confirm their berth in the playoffs on Tuesday, next face the Super Kings in Chennai on Tuesday.
