Cricket Australia investigates match referee Chris Broad for watching golf during international game
Cricket Australia (CA) have written to the International Cricket Council to make it aware of a post which was written by match referee Chris Broad in which the former England cricketer says he was watching golf in the umpires room during the first game of the ODI series versus South Africa last month.
It was a CA integrity unit staff who stumbled upon the image posted by Broad online where he admits to watching the Ryder Cup on his laptop during a One-Dayer at Centurion on 30th of September. Above the post he wrote, "Cricket? What cricket? #bbcrydercup".
CA have not yet made a formal complaint but reportedly have brought the incident to the attention of ICC general manager Geoff Allardice and ICC's senior manager of umpires and referees, Adrian Griffith.
The post by Stuart Broad’s—England fast bowler-- father looks like a one which was meant for laughs but CA members were quite taken aback at the sight of the 59-year-old appearing to keep track of the action at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota with South Africa and Australia battling it out on the ground which appears in the background of the post.
When contacted by the Sydney Morning Herald a CA spokesperson did not comment but questioned Broad’s behaviour that day at the Centurion.
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The match referee is the one who is appointed to watch the game and then make post match decisions on issues such as behavioural sanctions. As it should be, Broad was watching the game from the same room as television umpire and Englishman Nigel Llong.
In that very match, the Australians looked dejected about a decision where Aaron Finch was given out caught at short fine leg on 33 despite replays suggesting that the ball had touched the ground as South Africa's Wayne Parnell caught it.
Llong was asked to make the decision by the on-field umpires and he was quite convinced that Parnell had grabbed the ball cleanly. The decision also triggered Finch to yell as he walked back to the pavilion.
South Africa eventually went on to win the series 5-0. It is also believed that the CA hasn’t yet heard from the ICC except for the acknowledgement mail which has come in.
While his son remains one of England’s main pace bowlers, Broad sr has had a troubled relationship with the Australians. Broad was an inspiration to his side way back in the 1986-87 with 487 runs in the series including three tons.
Stuart also has been a nemesis for Australia in the Ashes, most notably last year where in Trent Bridge he pulled off an astonishing 8-15 in the first session of the fourth Test and Australia were bowled out for a paltry 60.
The ICC is yet to announce the match referees and umpires for Australia's upcoming Test series against South Africa, which begins in Perth on November 3.