If the Test match at Chittagong is being played in a competitive spirit, the standard of umpiring during Bangladesh's second innings has been at best diabolique; apologies to the French for borrowing their word to explain a phenomenon called cricket.

On the third and crucial day, poor decisions, not seen or acceptable even in domestic cricket, by umpires flown in from thousands of miles away have all gone the Sri Lankan way. Is it the fate of any Test babes against a team superior on paper?

The cases in point:

Javed Omer leaped to defend a riser, rapped high on the pad. Given lbw.

Khaled Mashud ball did not touch either the glove or the bat. Given out caught.

Kapali ball pitched outside the line of off stump and turning slightly away. Given lbw.

Words like controversial and unfortunate for Khaled Mashud's dismissal and unlucky for Kapali's from the TV commentators do not help the cause of Bangladesh, whose present mission is to justify

ICC's decision to grant them the Test status.

A team in Bangladesh's position, already successful to a great extent in proving the likes of Richie Benaud, Shane Warne, Javed Miandad and Ian Botham wrong, can be badly affected by such poor decisions, all going against them. Those critics want “to kick Bangladesh out of top-level cricket” and we have asked them to keep their “hands off our Test status”. (Daily Star Sport, 2 June 2005)

One would have assumed that the verbal abuse to a lonely batsman by fielder or bowler, as introduced by Australian and English cricketers had seen its day. But the Sri Lankans can be heard loud on the telly. Their body and verbal language gives the impression that they perhaps cannot accept the cricketing progress of Bangladesh, a team they used to bowl out for less than a hundred runs only the other day.

The Sri Lankans have complained against Bangladesh pacer Shahdat Hossain's “peculiar noise” when bowling (DS 2 March). These very Sri Lankans are making more than their share of strange noises when a local batsman is out there. Who will complain against them? I

believe we have a captain, a manager and a coach.

With the benefit of camera replay not available to them, the two lbw decisions may be overlooked but in the spirit of the game and for the millions of children watching cricket for inspiration, the Sri Lankan fielders should have called Khaled Mashud back, as should have the leg umpire Steve Bucknor. With due credit to all his previous 999 victims, the “controversial and unfortunate” wicket must have robbed Murali of the pleasure of reaching a landmark no other man has ever touched.

Umpire Asad Rauf, responsible for injustice to Khaled Mashud, it seemed wanted to take the credit of putting his finger up when the world's most successful bowler claimed his thousandth scalp. That comedy reminds me of a goalkeeper, who had 1000 printed on the vest under his jersey in a match against legendary footballer Pele. The goalkeeper took his jersey off when Pele scored his thousandth goal.

The author is former Advisory Sports Editor, The Daily Star