ICC not the individual boards should decide about implementation of URDS, says Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith, the South Africa captain, feels the Decision Review System’s implementation should be decided by the supreme governing body of international cricket, the ICC, and not the individual boards. Smith’s statement came after the
Board of Control of Cricket in India refused to have the referral system during India’s forthcoming tour of South Africa.
Gerald Majola, the chief executive of Cricket South Africa had confirmed on Tuesday that the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) would not be used during the three-match Test series between India and South Africa which gets underway in
Centurion on December 16. Though Majola did not explain what was the reason behind the decision but a Cricket South Africa official said that the main reason behind was “http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 are not keen to use it.”
But Smith on Thursday said that the issue should be managed by the International Cricket Council with complete authority and full responsibility.
"I think the ICC should manage it," said Smith while talking to the media reporters. "Currently it is left to the relevant cricket authorities and if one of the two does not agree, it is not used. The ICC should assume full responsibility
for it, rather than leaving it in the hands of the home boards."
The Indians remain sceptical of the referral system since using it against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and England. Smith admitted
that they had also faced some difficulty when using for the first time against the Kangaroos but they had mastered it against Andrew Strauss’s men later on.
The Proteas skipper feels that it would be difficult for teams to get used to the UDRS if it is not used regularly. Smith also said that the occasional use of the technology would make it difficult to assess its value.
In the meanwhile, the International Cricket Council has asked its board members to start using the referral system in one-day games ahead of the esteemed World Cup event that starts on 19th of February 2011 in the subcontinent.
The ICC's chief executive committee in its meeting held in Dubai agreed to bear the expenses of using UDRS technology in bilateral series of its members ahead of the mega cricketing event to "provide further opportunities for players, match officials and the
technology suppliers to experience the use of the system." However, nothing was revealed when and where would the system be first used at a One Day International.
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