Sydney, Dec 14: Cricket Australia (CA) has abandoned its mobile phone and tablet app-users voting system for the man-of-the-match award following the controversy after the Hobart Test.
CA chief executive James Sutherland said that the board would revert to an expert’s choice for the Test series against India and beyond.
“We were always running a bit of a trial for these two Tests with those man-of-the-match awards, but we will definitely revert back to an expert’s choice for that decision,” Sutherland told Radio 3AW.
“We will still run what the fans think, it has worked really well with the (viewers’ choice) application and the television. I think it’s something really ahead of its time and I’m sure we’ll see it in other sports as well in the future,” he added.
Australian opening batsman David Warner had played brilliantly on a tough Hobart wicket in making 123 not out, but his side lost by seven runs.
On the other hand, New Zealand all-rounder Doug Bracewell removed some of the world’s best batsmen in Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey to help the Black Caps to their first win on Australian soil since 1985.
However, mobile phone and tablet app-users chose Warner over Bracewell for the prize in a Vodafone-sponsored arrangement. Bracewell polled just 27 percent of the vote to Warner’s 58.
The choice was criticised by experts and former cricketers.
© ANI
