David Lloyd adds that the umpires have to change their position...
Friday 21 August 2015 23:39, UK
Michael Holding says bowlers are gaining an unfair advantage when no-balls consistently go uncalled by the umpires, as was the case on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.
Steven Finn and Mitchell Marsh both had wickets taken away from them, Finn's the more costly as it denied him his 100th Test wicket at the time, that of Steven Smith on 92, who went on to score 143.
Marsh meanwhile could have added a fourth victim to his figures of 3-18 with the strike of Mark Wood as England collapsed to 107-8 in response to Australia's 481.
But Holding has no sympathy for the bowlers, as he feels they gain an advantage the more often no-balls aren't called, with Mitchell Johnson another regular offender during the day's play.
It can affect bowlers if they keep getting called for no-balls, it can put them off, so you're helping the bowler in every respect, and it is not helping the game.
"Bowlers are getting away with murder because they are getting closer and closer to the batsman the more they overstep, and the batsman could be undone by a ball he would otherwise hit," said Holding.
"We talk about fractions of a second, so if the bowler is not as close, the batsman has fractionally more time.
"The bowlers will also gain more confidence from running in all-day and not being called for no-balls, like we saw with Johnson.
"It can affect bowlers if they keep getting called for no-balls, it can put them off, so you're helping the bowler in every respect, and it is not helping the game."
David Lloyd believes the umpires are currently unable to call no-balls due to where they are standing to accommodate the bowlers.
"From where the umpires are stood, they cannot see the front foot," said Lloyd. "The law will tell you that as an umpire you must stand in a position that you can see every act that you make judgement on, for example a no-ball.
"Also, you mustn't be standing in a position which interferes with a bowlers' run-up. But the first rule overrides the second.
"A solution - the match referee says to the team management and the captain - if there are a lot of no-balls, the umpire will exercise his right to stand in a position where he can see every act in which he judges upon and will no longer stand as a courtesy in a position where the bowler is comfortable. That's the way forward."
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