B. C. Cooray
{{short description|Sri Lankan cricket umpire}}
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Bulathsinghalage Cyril Cooray (born 15 May 1941 in Colombo), is a former Sri Lankan international cricket umpire and a former senior executive of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. He officiated in 21 Test matches and 48 ODIs over a period of 26 years.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/srilanka/content/player/48370.html |title=B. C. Cooray |accessdate=16 May 2014 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}} He was well known for all the wrong reasons, especially for his infamous umpiring blunders and howlers during Sri Lanka's home test series against England in 2001. Some of his shocking umpiring decisions earned him the wrath of the fans during the course of the test match which effectively triggered angry fans to call him "Bad Call" Cooray. He also served on the ICC International Panel for Umpires.{{Cite web |title=The Sunday Times : Sports |url=https://www.sundaytimes.lk/011125/sports2.html |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=sundaytimes.lk}}
Career
He was employed at the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation before pursuing a full time umpiring career. He made his international debut as an umpire on 21 September 1985 during an ODI between Sri Lanka and India.{{Cite web |title=Sri Lanka vs India Scorecard 1985 {{!}} Cricket Scorecard |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-tour-of-sri-lanka-1985-62339/sri-lanka-vs-india-2nd-odi-64262/full-scorecard |access-date=2023-05-15 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}
= Sri Lanka-England 2001 test series =
He alongside South Africa's Rudi Koertzen were appointed as standing umpires for the second Test match at Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy between Sri Lanka and England in 2001.{{Cite web |title=Sri Lanka vs England Scorecard 2000/01 {{!}} Cricket Scorecard |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-sri-lanka-2000-01-61786/sri-lanka-vs-england-2nd-test-63917/full-scorecard |access-date=2023-05-15 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} He and Koertzen made fair share of errors during the test match which eventually changed the outcome of the match with England winning the match by a margin of three wickets in a low scoring yet tricky run-chase.{{Cite news |last=Smyth |first=Rob |date=14 March 2012 |title=Remembering England's remarkable 2001 Test series win in Sri Lanka |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/mar/14/the-spin-england-sri-lanka-2001 |access-date=2023-05-15 |issn=0261-3077}} Both of them were even escorted safely from the stadium by the security officials due to the tense situation which arose during the course of the match as fans chanted and booed the umpires in the stands criticising their erroneous calls. The match consisted at least 13 clear umpiring mistakes with Cooray playing the majority of his part.{{Cite web |title=BC Cooray hangs up the white coat |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/bc-cooray-hangs-up-the-white-coat-103453 |access-date=2023-05-15 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} The Sri Lankan local fans vent their frustrations in the stands protesting against his umpiring blunders by holding placards and banners mentioning and accusing Cooray of having sold the match to secure a visa to England. The phrases "B.C You Sold This Match. Have Got Your Resident Visa for England" were seen during the fourth day of the match.{{Cite web |title=Cricket: Jayasuriya fined as players shame the game |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/story/0,3604,449566,00.html |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=The Guardian}}{{Cite news |date=10 March 2001 |title=Nerves may hold the key |language=en-GB |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2000/england_on_tour/1213127.stm |access-date=2023-05-15}}
Cooray took the centre-stage when England were batting in their first innings where he turned down the loud appeals on three occasions when England skipper Nasser Hussain was trapped lbw which was later proven costly as far as Sri Lanka were concerned as Hussain went onto complete a match winning century and in fact Hussain was the beneficiary of Cooray's umpiring.{{Cite web |last=Halgekar |first=Chaitanya |date=31 August 2017 |title=10 most controversial umpiring decisions of all time |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/10-most-controversial-umpiring-decisions-of-all-time |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=sportskeeda.com |language=en-in}}{{Cite web |title=Eye on the highs and lows of the Nasser Hussain era |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/what-we-re-watching-on-youtube-the-highs-and-lows-of-the-nasser-hussain-era-1219924 |access-date=2023-05-15 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}} He also denied the caught and bowled dismissal claimed by Muttiah Muralitharan when Graeme Hick was batting. On the other hand, Atherton also survived a close lbw call thanks largely due to Cooray. He also made another ridiculous decision by ruling out Sanath Jayasuriya during Sri Lanka's second innings when replays clearly suggested that the ball bowled by Andy Caddick had actually bumped well before it was taken on bounce by slip fielder Graham Thorpe who actually had to dive to complete the catch.{{Cite web |title=BC Cooray's nightmare |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/sri-lanka-v-england-2000-01-bc-cooray-s-umpiring-nightmare-521543 |access-date=2023-05-15 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=England play the lottery |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/srilanka/3000514/England-play-the-lottery.html |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=The Daily Telegraph}} Jayasuriya who was a casualty of Cooray's brain fade umpiring showed dissent at the decision as he hurled his helmet across the boundary line.{{Cite web |date=21 November 2020 |title=Cricket Archives : Angry Jayasuriya leaves the ground after shocking umpiring decision |url=https://www.newswire.lk/2020/11/21/cricket-archives-angry-jayasuriya-leaves-the-ground-after-shocking-umpiring-decision/ |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=NewsWire |language=en-US}} The continuous flaws in umpiring also increased tensions between the team players of Sri Lanka and England with Kumar Sangakkara at one point losing his cool and involved in an heated verbal exchange with England's Michael Atherton and eventually Sangakkara labelled England as "cheats".
He also received backlash for his refusal to admit the mistakes he committed during the match. During the post-match presentations, fans of Sri Lanka and England yelled for him to be named Man of the Match. Initial reports by local media revealed that he would be dropped for the third and final test of the series, thus forcing him to a retirement from umpiring. However, the reports were deemed rumours as he was recalled as TV umpire for the third and final test which was confirmed by K. T. Francis who then served as the director of umpiring with the Sri Lanka Cricket.{{Cite web |title=SL v England: Cooray will umpire |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/sl-v-england-cooray-will-umpire-20010312 |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=News24 |language=en-US}} Despite such assurance from Francis, the second Test at Asgiriya turned out to be his last international match as an umpire.{{Cite web |title=Thorpey and Gilo mug Sri Lanka |url=https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/1164159/thorpey-and-gilo-mug-sri-lanka |access-date=2023-05-15 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |language=en}}
Prior to the controversial test match, Cooray was very much respected in the cricketing fraternity and by the fans as he was always rated highly as a quality competent umpire.
See also
References
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External links
- {{cricinfo|ref=srilanka/content/player/48370.html}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooray, B.C.}}
Category:Sri Lankan Test cricket umpires
Category:Sri Lankan One Day International cricket umpires
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