Partex demoted after walk-out
Partex Sporting Club walked out of their relegation league match against Kalabagan Krira Chakra due to two umpiring decisions
Mohammad Isam
22-Dec-2014
Partex Sporting Club walked out of their relegation league match against Kalabagan Krira Chakra due to two umpiring decisions. According to the Dhaka Premier Division League's rules, the match was awarded to Kalabagan as Partex refused to play on after 21.3 overs and were, as a result, demoted to the Dhaka First Division League next season.
The match came to a halt at 10.24am when in the 22nd over, umpire Abdullah Al Matin adjudged Partex batsman Rajin Saleh lbw, off the bowling of left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed. The batsman stood for a few seconds before marching off but on his way saw the non-striker Mehrab Hossain jnr join him as Partex officials called him back.
The umpires and match referee Morshedul Alam stood near the boundary rope for a while and at 11am the umpires took the bails off and awarded the match to Kalabagan, who confirmed their participation in next season's Dhaka Premier League.
Partex's complain was that the batsman had edged the ball but wicketkeeper Saghir Hossain failed to hold on to the ball after the inside edge. The umpire's decision was "shocking" to Saleh and the rest of the team.
"I played the ball and it took the edge but the wicketkeeper dropped the catch," Rajin said. "I don't know how it was decided that it was lbw but such things have been happening to us in four-five matches this season. I have been playing the Dhaka League for 17 seasons but this year the umpiring has been terrible. It is giving a bad name to umpiring in Bangladesh."
Partex were also unhappy with umpire Wahid Chowhan's leg-before decision of Dan Housego, and that's where the trouble started. When they walked off after Rajin's dismissal, Partex were 77 for 4 after 21.3 overs.
Umpiring has been a major talking point throughout this season's Dhaka Premier League. Legends of Rupganj have regularly complained about umpiring while other teams have said the quality has gone down.
Mohammad Isam is ESPNcricinfo's Bangladesh correspondent. @isam84