News » the Cardinals game June 11 at the New York Mets. It rewarded Mol

For a split-second, Umesh Yadavs heart was in his mouth. Hed had the key wicket of Englands innings clasped in his hands but appeared to have tossed it away in a celebratory gesture reminiscent of Herschelle Gibbs infamous dropping of the World Cup at Headingley in 1999.This time, however, there was no reprieve for the oppositions centurion. Whereas at Headingley 17 years ago, Steve Waugh went on to make a matchwinning 120 not out, in Rajkot Joe Root was sent on his way for 124, as Yadav ended a vital 179-run stand for Englands fourth wicket.The moment happened at blink-and-you-miss-it speed. Root, on the front foot, drove hard back towards Yadavs knees, and in a single upwards motion, the bowler first wrapped his fingers round the ball then flung it skywards, but with less control than he might have desired.In a moment of panic, Yadav parried it over his head, peered back over his shoulder to locate the ball, then watched it flop to the turf near umpire Kumar Dharmasena. Root, understandably, stood his ground, but the batsmans fate was effectively sealed from the moment that Dharmasena gave a soft signal to the third umpire, Rod Tucker, that he believed that Yadav had been in control of the ball for long enough, and therefore the catch was fair.The relevant part of the Law (19.4) states:The act of making the catch, or of fielding the ball, shall start from the time when the ball first comes into contact with some part of a fielders person and shall end when a fielder obtains complete control both over the ball and over his own movement.I think the on-field umpires soft signal was the key, Fraser Stewart, of the MCC, told ESPNcricinfo. If hed given a not-out soft signal, there was probably enough doubt to keep it as not out. However, as the soft signal was out, the on-field umpires must have been happy with it as their gut reaction and, had it been in a game with no reviews or referrals, they would have given it out.Did he have complete control over the ball? In slow-motion you would probably say yes, but in real time its less clear. It could easily be argued either way.The soft signal was introduced in response to concerns that TV replays, for all the benefits that they offer, dont always show the full picture as experienced live out in the middle. Low catches, in particular, have often fallen victim to the phenomenon of foreshortening, as 3D events are replayed on 2D screens. In November 2014, the ICC introduced the concept of broadcasting the discussions between on-field and third umpires, to further demystify the process for viewers.Decision-making is an important skill and one that should be applied at the highest level of the game, umpire Simon Taufel told the Times of India recently. So, the soft signal maintains the premise that the decision-making happens on field and not just left to technology to provide an outcome.Root himself was phlegmatic about the incident. I was so disgusted with the shot that - giving it the Arsene Wenger approach - I didnt really see what was happening.But having seen the slow-motion replay, it does look out. When its sped up it looks a bit strange, but I was very lucky to get an umpires call with an lbw earlier on and you have to take the rough with the smooth sometimes and just get on with it.Additional reporting by George Dobell Custom Roger Clemens Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Cheap Red Sox Jerseys . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. http://www.customredsoxjersey.com/custom-pedro-martinez-jersey-large-389j.html . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Custom Red Sox Jerseys . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Custom David Ortiz Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla.ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina leads the National League in batting and has put himself in the early discussion for MVP honours, at least in the eyes of St. Louis right-hander Jake Westbrook. Molina hit his fifth home run and Westbrook pitched seven innings of two-hit ball in the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. Molina said the blast was somewhat of a surprise to him. "Sometimes you get lucky," he said. "That was lucky." Westbrook (3-2) worked around trouble almost the entire night in his second start since coming off the disabled list with a sore elbow. He gave up no earned runs, striking out two and walking three. Edward Mujica pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 21st save in 21 attempts. Westbrook said if he voted for MVP, his battery mate would get the nod. "With the way hes been hitting, but more importantly the way hes handled us as a staff and the way weve been pitching," Westbrook said. "He, in my mind, is the reason for that." Molina is hitting .365 and is pulling away from the field. Colorados Troy Tulowitzki, who is on the disabled list, is second at .347. Molina is just outside of the top 10 in RBIs (41). Hes also guides a Cardinals pitching staff that has the major leagues second-best ERA (3.28). Edwin Jackson (3-9) was pulled after he hit Jon Jay following Molinas blast to left field. He pitched 5 1-3 innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits. He struck out one and walked two. He was going for his third consecutive victory and was pleased with his performance. He wasnt even unhappy with the ball that Molina homered on. "I thought it was a pretty good pitch, but either he was looking for it or he guessed right or it was right in his zone," Jackson said. "Either way, he hit it for a home run. But I threw my pitch with conviction and it was the pitch I wanted to throw. Sometimes it happens in a game." Allen Craig reached in the fifth after second basemans Darwin Barneys throw on the back end of a double-play attempt went to the Cardinals dugout. Molina drove a 1-2 ppitch just over the outfield wall to improve to 9 for 15 with three homers against Jackson.dddddddddddd Jay went to third on a hit-and-run with Daniel Descalso singling to right and scored on a hit from Pete Kozma to give St. Louis a 4-1 lead. Westbrook retired the Cubs in order in the first and seventh innings, allowing at least one runner to reach in the five innings between. He faced the minimum in three of those five innings. Two runners were erased on inning-ending double plays and Luis Valbuena was caught stealing on a pitch out for the first out of the third. "He was good," Molina said of Westbrook. "That sinker was moving a lot." Westbrook lasted just five innings in his return Friday at Miami. He gave up five runs (three earned) on eight hits in a loss. "I felt good," Westbrook said. "I was throwing a really good sinker, tonight. I was locating it a lot better than the last start." Anthony Rizzo opened the second with a single and went to third when second baseman Matt Carpenters throw to start a potential double play sailed over the Kozmas head and into leftfield. Rizzo tagged up on a sacrifice fly from Barney and scored after knocking the ball out of Molinas glove. Carpenter singled to start the first and scored on Craigs hit to centre. NOTES: The Cardinals earned at least a split of the four-game series. ... Jacksons exit with one out in the fifth snapped a five-game streak in which the Cubs rotation recorded a quality start and a seven-game stretch in which it went at least six innings. ... Craig is hitting .431 with runners in scoring position. ... Rizzos single in the second ended a 0-10 streak. ... Molina was assessed with his third error of the year for dropping the ball in the second and allowing Ryan Sweeney and Welington Castillo to advance. He had three all of last season. ... Major League Baseball made two scoring changes from the Cardinals game June 11 at the New York Mets. It rewarded Molina a double rather than an error as originally scored and changed an error assessed to 3B David Freese to a hit for David Wright. ' ' '