International cricket rules expert Simon Taufel has confirmed the Blackcaps were on the wrong end of an umpiring error that potentially cost them the World Cup final against England.
Since New Zealand's heartbreaking countback defeat by England at Lord's on Monday morning, doubts have arisen over a key rule interpretation that saw the home side awarded six runs, after a throw to the stumps deflected off Ben Stokes' bat and ran to the boundary.
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Umpires awarded England four runs for the boundary, plus two that Stokes and batting partner Adil Rashid had already run.
But ICC Law 19.8 states the batsmen should only receive "the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the throw or act".
In this case, the batsmen clearly had not crossed when Blackcaps fielder Martin Guptill released his throw.
Award-winning Australia umpire Taufel told Fox Sports that officials made a "clear mistake" and England should have received only five runs.
"In the heat of what was going on, they thought there was a good chance the batsmen had crossed at the instant of the throw," said Taufel, five-time ICC Umpire of the Year and widely regarded as one of the game's best ever.
"Obviously, TV replays showed otherwise."
Taufel is also a member of the ICC committee that oversees cricket's rulebook.
A correct call would have seen England actually needing four runs - not three - off the last two balls of their innings.
It would also have left tailender Rashid on strike, not big-hitting all-rounder Stokes.
But Taufel stopped short of declaring New Zealand rightful winners.
"It's unfair on England, New Zealand and the umpires involved to say it decided the outcome," he told Fox Sports.
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