Icc Confirms Umpire Referral Use

The International Cricket Council has confirmed that the controversial Umpire Decision Review System will be used in the upcoming Test series between South Africa and England after a row over funding for the technology was resolved.

The system includes a maximum of two unsuccessful challenges by either side in any innings.

With both the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India against the introduction of the referral system, as well as the eruption of a dispute over who should pay for the required technology, it looked as though the introduction of the system would be delayed.

However the ICC has now stated that the system will be used in all upcoming Test matches including the four-match series between South Africa and England which begins in Centurion on 16th December.

The ICC’s general manager of cricket, David Richardson, said: ‘We are excited about the introduction of this ground-breaking system.

‘With the improvement of technology, umpires’ mistakes are exposed and scrutinised like never before. This system will help alleviate the problems created when mistakes are made.

‘Trials showed that the system improved player behaviour and led to a significant reduction in the number of umpiring errors.’

However, Richardson did acknowledge that, because of the technology required to implement the system, the ICC will reliant on television broadcasters around the world.

‘Certainly in this interim phase we have to rely very heavily on broadcasters. Cricket wouldn’t really be able to even contemplate using any kind of technology if it wasn’t able to piggyback on what the broadcasters have already.

‘We’re not in a position to influence what those broadcast agreements might say. We have to live with what is in place at the moment.’

Richardson also rejected claims from some members of the cricket community that teams should be limited to one challenge per innings.
 
‘Down the line we might have something similar to tennis, where in a tie-break situation you might get one extra one.

‘So we would avoid the situation where, come the last 15 overs of a Test match, a crucial decision is unable to be adjudicated on using the system because the fielding captain has used his reviews up.

‘It’s a bit harsh on a batsman in particular where you generally might feel that you haven’t nicked it and the technology isn’t good enough.’

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur welcomed the use of the referral system, and said that cricket should make use of all available technology.

‘It’s definitely the right way to go,’ Arthur stated. ‘I hope that if we are going to use it that we go the whole hog and get all the technology available. But if we are going to do it, it should be standardised across the world.’