Australian captain Ricky Ponting is in the clear – for now – after neither umpire found reason to complain about his reaction to Indian Sachin Tendulkar's recall to the crease during the tri-series match overnight.
Led by Brett Lee's fiery 5-38 and an outstanding all-round game from Brad Hogg (2-48 and 38 with the bat), Australia bowled India out for 195 to win by 18 runs and seal a spot in tomorrow's final against the West Indies.
But much of the postmatch talk last night surrounded how English umpire Mark Benson had called Tendulkar back to the crease after realising he had erred in ruling the master batsman out caught behind to Glenn McGrath for a clear deflection off his shoulder.
The Australians were initially delighted with the decision after raising only a speculative appeal, but Tendulkar and the mainly Indian crowd at Kinrara Oval were stunned, and their reaction caused Benson to re-consider.
When Tendulkar was called back, Ponting reacted angrily, and became engaged in an animated discussion with Benson, who was well within his rights to reverse his own decision.
Ponting is understood to be "on very thin ice" with the ICC after two fines for dissent in the past four months, and a third transgression is likely to result in a ban.
However neither Benson, nor his on-field partner Asad Rauf, had any trouble with Ponting's actions and afterwards match referee Chris Broad confirmed that nothing about the Australian captain's part in the incident had been brought to his attention.
Ponting clarified his situation by explaining that Benson had in fact asked speak to him on the field so that the recall could be made clear to the Australians.
"The umpire made his decision, he then reversed it and I think he actually got it right in the end, so that's where it sits," Ponting said.
"I can't actually talk much about umpires' decisions anyway, but explained the reason why and we just got on with it from there, I wasn't that happy at the time but that was the decision.
"He called me in to explain why he changed his decision, I didn't see Sachin called back because I was in the middle of the huddle with the guys."
Some members of the Australian team will take part in a voluntary training session today while tour selectors sit down to choose an 11 for the final.
- DANIEL BRETTIG