Umpire Nigel Llong courts controversy with "door kick" in Bengaluru

Nigel Llong paid INR 5000 to KSCA as compensation for the damage caused. © Getty

It has been a turbulent week or so for Nigel Llong, the Englishman who is on the International Cricket Council's Elite Panel of umpires. Last Tuesday, the 50-year-old was among the Playing Control Team that made a contentious interpretation of the Playing Conditions of the Indian Premier League 2019 in the rain-hit clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals.

If that was an embarrassment - the fact that the match ended in a no-result almost swept a potentially explosive ruling under the carpet - then Llong hardly covered himself in glory with his conduct during the final match of the season at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 4, when Royal Challengers Bangalore locked horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Llong called Umesh Yadav for overstepping in the final over of the SRH innings. Subsequent replays, beamed on the giant screen at the stadium where more than 30,000 fans were in attendance, and on television screens watched by millions of followers, confirmed the erroneous nature of the decision, with Umesh's left foot having landed well inside the popping crease. Umesh went to the umpire in complaint, only to be met with a stern 'My call' from Llong; skipper Virat Kohli's protests too fell on deaf ears, though it is pertinent to point out that there is hardly any precedent of an umpire withdrawing a no-ball call.

As Llong stormed off the field at the end of the SRH innings, he made a brief detour towards Kevin Pietersen, who was on the park for a mid-innings interview, and engaged in an animated monologue before leaving for the umpires' room, just beyond the sightscreen at the Pavilion End. It was clear that Llong wasn't enquiring after the former England captain's well-being.

So incensed, it is learnt, that Llong was - not with his wrong call but with the protests from Umesh and Kohli - that he kicked the door to the umpires' room during the break between the innings. Resultantly, the door was damaged. Given the Code of Conduct that applies to match officials as it does to players, the story should not have ended there; it didn't, but only after needless and prolonged drama.

Llong, it has since come to light, paid up Rs 5,000 to the Karnataka State Cricket Association as damages. While his decision to pay up for his misdemeanour might be construed as the bare minimum, the fact was that he is in breach of the Code of Conduct, and therefore should attract the same sanctions/censure that a player might for bringing the game into disrepute.

Scheduled to officiate in the IPL final in Hyderabad on May 12, Llong's actions were on Saturday were brought to the attention of match referee Narayan Kutty, though it is not clear what the former Kerala batsman has written in his report.

Meanwhile, after much deliberation, the KSCA has decided to formally bring the incident to the attention of the three-member Committee of Administrators through a report.

"It was an unfortunate incident. As the state association, we are duty-bound to report it," pointed out R Sudhakar Rao, the secretary of the KSCA, on Monday. "We are writing to the COA today."

There is a general impression, rightly or wrongly, that Indian umpires are generally the objects of criticism and ire from the media especially for wrong decisions, while umpires from other countries go scot-free even if they make obvious mistakes. It was at Llong's insistence, sources have revealed, that in the five-overs-a-side game between RCB and RR, no bowler was allowed more than one over when 13.9.9.2 of the playing conditions clearly says, "For innings of rescheduled length of between five and nine overs, no bowler may bowl more than two overs."

This kicking of the door is a more serious offence of a non-cricketing nature. Players are often at least fined for offences of similar nature - such as breaking chairs or doors of dressing-rooms. Given that the match officials are answerable to a Code of Conduct of their own, it will be interesting to see what, or whether, action is taken against Llong.