Crowe hopes to retain role

World Cup final referee Jeff Crowe is hoping the "human error" which turned the end of the showpiece match into a farce does not amount to a resignation issue for him.

Crowe admitted that the responsibility lay with him for the confusion which led to Australia beating Sri Lanka and celebrating their third successive Cup crown twice over.

"Effectively what goes on in that dressing room and what went on out there is my responsibility," he confirmed. "A resignation issue? I'll have to talk with my superiors on that. But I hope not."

As the International Cricket Council's referee, under the latest constitutional changes from on high he is the man who must be accountable for any referred decisions.

The former New Zealand Test batsman did not dodge that fact as he explained what had gone wrong in the rain-reduced 38-overs-per-side match at Kensington Oval.

Crowe reported that the voices of both on-field umpires Steve Bucknor and Aleem Dar - as well as third official Rudi Koertzen and even the fourth, Billy Bowden - were heard before players from both teams were mistakenly informed that if they did not return from a break for bad light to play three remaining overs they would have to resume on the reserve day instead.

Because 20 overs of the second innings had already been completed, the match was over - with no need or provision for using the second day.

With near darkness fast gathering, Sri Lanka - who eventually lost by 53 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis system - had already accepted there was no longer any way they could win.

Captains Ricky Ponting and Mahela Jayawardene therefore agreed to bowl only slow bowlers and pat back the ball, before Australia were declared winners for a second and final time.