India wants Procter to decide on captain's pact

PERTH: Rival captains Anil Kumble and Ricky Ponting may have vowed to uphold the spirit of the game during Monday's reconciliation meeting but there is at least one major issue that has still not been sorted out.
   
Before the series, both the Indian and Australian captains had entered an mutual agreement, under which it was decided to go by the word of the fielder in case of close catches.
   
But with the Australians not bothering to care for it in the Sydney Test, the Indian camp has put the ball in Match Referee Mike Procter's court, saying it was upto him to decide whether to continue with the gentleman's pact.

"Even though the two captains had previously committed themselves on this understanding, the decision was taken at the consent and guidance of the match referee," media manager MV Sridhar said.
   
"Now it is up to the match referee to ask the two captains their views on this issue and then a decision would be arrived after the three parties, the two captains and the match referee, reach a decision," he said.

In the ill-tempered Sydney Test, Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds edged behind but did not walk, while Michael Clarke stood his ground even after Rahul Dravid had taken a clean catch off Anil Kumble in the slips.

When India was battling to save the match on the final day, Clarke took a catch to remove Sourav Ganguly even though it apparently came off the ground. Mark Benson went by the word of Ricky Ponting, who said he had full belief in the fielder.