Fletcher's fury at umpiring

England manager Duncan Fletcher launched a thinly-veiled attack on the standard of umpiring during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle today.

The tourists went down by an innings and 28 runs after losing eight wickets on the final day.

However, a number of the dismissals were shrouded in controversy, with both Michael Atherton and Craig White appearing unfortunate to have been given out.

Skipper Nasser Hussain tried to steer clear of the issue but Fletcher took a different course, risking the wrath of the International Cricket Council.

"If you were watching that and didn't see what happened, you must be blind," blasted the Zimbabwean.

Graeme Hick was handed a one-match suspended ban for his reaction to being given out in the first innings and television pundit Ian Botham called for the ICC to intervene.

"This victory will always have a sour taste," said the former England all-rounder.

"In situations like this, it is essential you have the best umpires available.

"I am afraid the men standing in this Test were well short of the standard required.

"There were two or three situations where the third umpire should have been called and instead the umpires made their own decisions and got them wrong.

"What is the point of having the technology if you don't use it.

"For the next Test in Kandy, I hope they can find two umpires who understand the rules of the game."

Sri Lanka skipper Sanath Jayasuriya admitted mistakes had been made but said the decisions had been evened out among both sides.

"We can't comment on umpiring decisions, sometimes it went one way, sometimes the other," he said.

"It is the same for both sides.

"It is difficult because the wickets keep low and turn. You do not get an even bounce, that it why you get so many appeals and that makes it hard for the umpires," he said.