Andrew Symonds has admitted he should have been given out long before reaching his century against India.
Umpire got it wrong, admits Aussie all-rounder
Andrew Symonds has admitted he should have been given out long before reaching his century against India.
The Australia all-rounder smashed 137 not out as his side reached 376-7 at stumps on the first day of the second Test in Sydney.
That was after they had slumped to 134-6 in the middle of the day and their position could have been even worse had umpire Steve Bucknor not given Symonds the benefit of the doubt when he edged a catch behind off Ishant Sharma when he was on 30.
"I was very lucky. I was out when I was 30, given not out," said Symonds.
"That's cricket though. I can sit here and tell you about my bad decisions as well, but I won't. That's the game. It's just one of those things."
Escape
Symonds enjoyed another escape on 48 when third umpire Bruce Oxenford turned down a stumping appeal off Anil Kumble.
The officials had already been in the spotlight after umpire Mark Benson wrongly gave Ricky Ponting out lbw to Harbhajan Singh for 55.
Symonds, though, came to their defence and said: "You've got to keep the human element in there. It creates a different feel.
"I don't think the game needs to go that every decision gets referred. There's ways to improve it, but let's not push and prod it too much.
"It's a great game. People make mistakes, players make mistakes every day, umpires make mistakes, too.
"It's how you handle them and how you keep going after those mistakes are made."
Symonds believes Australia are now in a great position to go on and win the match after digging themselves out of trouble with some dogged batting.
"Four hundred runs will be a very healthy first innings score," he said. "I suppose it puts us in a position where we hope we wouldn't lose the game from there.
"If we bowl well and bat well again then we can put ourselves in a very good position to win the game.
"Australian teams have always pride themselves to fight back and show a bit of mental toughness and heart and this team is no different."
