England 245 New Zealand 246-9 (NZ win by 1 wkt): Collingwood apologises for run-out row

By Angus Fraser at The Oval
Thursday, 26 June 2008

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England bowler Ryan Sidebottom collides with New Zealand's Grant Elliott as the batsman is run out for 24

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At a time when cricket's administrators are belatedly setting the right example off the field it would have been refreshing to see the game's players doing the same on it. Sadly, that was not the case here yesterday when England, for the second time in eight days, were guilty of betraying the bedrock of the sport – the Spirit of Cricket.

In the second one-day match at Edgbaston Paul Collingwood's side deliberately wasted time to avoid defeat and in yesterday's fourth tie further unwelcome behaviour from the hosts marred another extraordinary encounter. Controversy erupted when Ryan Sidebottom body-checked Grant Elliott as he attempted to take a quick single, action that resulted in the New Zealand all-rounder being run out.

The New Zealand team expected England to withdraw the appeal but Collingwood refused, much to the anger of Daniel Vettori, the Black Caps' captain, and his side on the players' balcony. Thankfully, justice was done when New Zealand sneaked home by one wicket in the most bizarre manner. Though delighted, New Zealand initially refused to forgive England for their actions, spurning handshakes at the end of the game.

"You have to make a split decision at the time and maybe it was not the correct one," Collingwood said. "The umpire asked me if I was upholding the decision and I said 'yes'. Obviously, the apologies go out to the New Zealand team over the decision – I made a split-second decision on the issue and that was the wrong one.

Vettori echoed Collingwood's comments after being caught up in the "raw emotion" of the occasion and, after he accepted the England captain's apology, hopes the teams can move on from the issue.

"I think we were a little bit contrite ourselves with the raw emotion, so I apologise to Paul and his team and, now that he has said that, I think we can accept it and move on," he said. "That match was as tense as it gets and we were apologetic for maybe the way we acted on the balcony."

New Zealand, chasing 246, were coasting to victory on 220 for 7 in the 44th over when Elliott dropped a delivery from Sidebottom at his feet and belatedly set off for a single. Elliott's attempt to complete the run was interrupted when Sidebottom obstructed the batsman, sending him flying to the ground. If only England's rugby players had tackled like that on their recent tour of New Zealand.

The fall allowed Ian Bell to run in, pick the ball up and toss it to Kevin Pietersen standing by the stumps, who removed the bails with relish. Elliott, believing that England would withdraw their appeal, limped up to the broken wicket end of the pitch and sat on the ground waiting for treatment.

A discussion between the umpires and Collingwood ensued while Elliott was being given treatment, during which the umpire Mark Benson was seen to put his hand on the England captain's shoulders. Collingwood, no doubt believing the collision had been accidental, declined to withdraw the appeal, much to the anger of Elliott and his New Zealand team-mates on the players' balcony.

The Black Caps had every right to be livid, according to Ian Smith, the former New Zealand wicketkeeper, as angry as any New Zealand side since Trevor Chappell , under the orders of his brother, Greg, bowled an underarm delivery at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with six needed off the last delivery of the game. England were completely wrong to act as they did and the celebrations that followed the subsequent dismissal of Tim Southee, who was run out too, highlighted how out of touch with reality players can become as they desperately chase success.

The incident would have carried far greater ill feeling had England won the game. After several minutes of contemplation both teams apologised for their actions – England for not withdrawing their appeal and New Zealand for refusing to shake hands with their opponents. Prior to the altercation the game had been quietly drifting towards an unmemorable conclusion, with New Zealand yet it finished in thrilling style.

With two runs needed for victory off the final ball Mark Gillespie drove Luke Wright to Graeme Swann at short extra cover. All Swann needed to do was toss the ball to an England fielder at the stumps at the bowler's end of the pitch, yet he chose to hurl it as hard as he could at the stumps. With Gillespie two yards out of his ground the ball missed the stumps and ricocheted through a huddle of England players.

With the ball making its way to the boundary New Zealand's batsmen completed a second run, a run that gave them a deserved win and a 2-1 lead in the series.

* Andrew Flintoff bowled for the first time since 9 May last night, sending down four overs in Lancashire's Twenty20 Cup win over Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford and taking a wicket with his fifth ball.

Scoreboard from The Oval

New Zealand won toss

England

I R Bell c McCullum b Southee 46

L J Wright c Taylor b Mills 18

K P Pietersen c Southee b Gillespie 0

R S Bopara c Oram b Gillespie 58

*P D Collingwood b Southee 14

O A Shah run out 63

†T R Ambrose c Flynn b Oram 6

G P Swann c How b Mills 3

S C J Broad c How b Southee 5