BCCI used money power to oust me: Bucknor

Cape Town (South Africa), Mar 17: West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor, who will appear in his 128th and last Test here, has stirred controversy by saying that money power allowed the Indian cricket board to succeed in having him sacked from a Test match in Perth in 2008.

"Some people are more equal than others," the Waikato Times quoted Bucknor, as saying in reference to the explosive second test in Sydney in Jan 2008 that led to India captain Anil Kumble filing a negative report on the West Indies official.

The BCCI then made noises about pulling out of their Australian tour if they didn't get their way.

Reflecting on a 20-year career that has included a record five World Cup finals, the tall and calm Jamaican says he wasn't surprised by the fuss the Indian camp made over his efforts in that eventful Sydney Test.

"I know that in the life of everyone there are going to be good times and bad times," Bucknor told AAP in Cape Town.

"I have survived for a long time. Had it not been for strong-willed people within the ICC, I might have been out due to negative reactions from certain quarters. When you speak to a captain and he's not happy, you are reported. If his (national) association is strong enough they may believe that they should take action. Oh, this umpire shouldn't be within the system because the captain is seeing something wrong," Bucknor said.

"I knew there would have been a moment when things would not have gone as well. But at the same time, I made two mistakes out of more than 40 calls. There are other who will say getting 90 per cent in a game is relatively good," he added.

ANI