Match referee Chris Broad insisted world cricket needed its characters and colour, after taking no action over Australian skipper Ricky Ponting's latest dispute with an umpire.
There were fears Ponting could face further disciplinary action, including a possible ban, for an animated discussion with British umpire Mark Benson during Friday's win over India in the DLF one-day tournament.
Ponting was livid when Benson reversed his decision to rule Sachin Tendulkar out caught behind in heated scenes during Australia's 18-run win.
Ponting is on thin ice with the ICC. Just last week it docked his entire match fee for dissent – his second offence this year.
But Broad was happy to clear Ponting over the latest incident.
Neither umpire Benson, nor onfield partner Asad Rauf, had any trouble with Ponting's actions. Broad clarified that Benson had called Ponting over to explain his reversal.
A former England left-hander, Broad has butted heads with Australia before. But he believes world cricket would be poorer if it was over-sanitised.
"Cricket needs its characters and its colour," Broad said.
"There was no problem with Ricky on this occasion because the umpire approached him to tell him he had changed his decision. Ricky did not approach the umpire.
"The umpire instantaneously knew he had made the wrong decision, so he was within his rights to change it and Ricky was informed of that."
In the after-match glow of the Aussie win – which has propelled it into today's final against the West Indies – Ponting admitted tensions had boiled in the heat of the Tendulkar incident.
Despite his angry reaction, the right decision had been made, because the ball had clearly come off Tendulkar's shoulder.
"I wasn't that happy at the time," Ponting revealed.
"I didn't see Tendulkar being called back. I was in the middle of a group of guys and I looked over and Mark (Benson) was calling me over to explain it all.
"I didn't approach him.
"The umpire made his decision then reversed it, I think he actually got it right in the end."
Tendulkar also escaped sanction for his head-shaking reaction, about as animated as he ever gets on a cricket field.
Benson reversed his decision as the electronic scoreboard screened replays, sparking another man versus machine debate about the merits of increasing the use of technology.
Australia is against flooding the game with technology, because it believes replays and freeze frames will still produce mistakes.
"I've never been a great fan of technology because a lot of the time it's not actually good enough," Ponting said.
"Stumpings and run-outs . . . that's the way it should be used."
Brett Lee's fabulous 5-38 against India hauled Australia into the final, enhancing Ponting's belief that his fiery quick is the world's No.1 one-day bowler.
Stand-in wicketkeeper Brad Haddin also firmed up his strong chances to take over the gloves when Adam Gilchrist retires.
In the absence of Gilchrist, rested from the Malaysian series, Haddin has shone with two impressive scores with the bat and fine work behind the stumps.
"You've seen with the way Haddin has batted, and the way he's kept at times through this series, that he's certainly going to be a great replacement when Adam moves on," Ponting said.
- BEN DORRIES