Among the umpires who are highly regarded as the best in the business, Richard Illingworth easily gets a place at the table. Thus, the 59-year-old was in charge as an on-field umpire, alongside Chris Gaffaney, to take care of the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, where India are taking on Australia. Along with making sharp decisions throughout three days of the play, his gesture during the last session on Day 3 attracted attention in no time.
The incident happened when Steve Smith was not too pleased with a person who was sitting close to the sight screen wearing a bright red t-shirt. The spectator wanted to sit with his friends, but his shirt was distracting the batter at the crease. While Kumara Dharmasena tried to reason with the spectator, he seemed adamant to stay his ground. As the camera panned to Illingworth, the Englishman jokingly folded both his hands to plead with the fan to change his seat. Whether it was Illingworth's gesture or the support staff's insistence, the fan did move so that the game could continue.
Red is danger!
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He was requesting a guy to move other side because he was wearing red!
Is the umpire begging someone? What’s happening?
— wildheart 🦋 (@juhilcious)
Yeah!
The umpire requesting a fan to clear the sight screen.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra)
He gets distracted!
It is one of the hardest responsibilities to sit near sight screen, when is batting. XD
— Shivam Gaur (@shivamgaur_7)
I guess no!
Indians don't have any plans for Steve Smith ,he must have some weakness
— Karthik (@karthikS_5)
Greatest!
What a player ffs . Sir Steve Smith 🙏
— Abhishek (@ydvabhishek31)
Hahaha! Lol!
If you want to distract Steve Smith in the ...wear red
— Mike (@BRFC1994)
Lol! Yes!
Smith gets to choose where spectators sit and what they're allowed to wear now. Poor man in red shirt. He's paid his money, let him have his seat!
— Adam Edwards (@AdamEdw)
Everyone has own problems!
Far from a professional cricketer but how can a red shirt that high up in the crowd be distracting towards the batsman ?
— HSN (@MHA_92_)
He send you out!
Steve Smith is a batting weirdo but you can't sit next to the sight screen in a red shirt
— Dan (@dan_tg96)
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