Ricky Ponting asks the ICC to make UDRS a compulsory requirement
Ricky Ponting has called on ICC to make his point clear with regards to the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS). Ponting wants the UDRS across the board in all matches being held in international cricket. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 in England without the UDRS.
The UDRS (Umpire Decision Review System), since its introduction, has faced a plethora of controversies and criticism from various corners of the cricketing world. Some have supported the use of this technology while others have avoided it. In the last meeting of the ICC, the UDRS was discussed but its implementation was left for the cricket boards to decide. According to ICC rules and regulations, the host country will decide whether to use the UDRS or not. The host country will have to make this decision after consulting it with the touring team.
Before Ponting, Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara had also shown his disappointment for not implementing the UDRS in the ongoing Sri Lanka-India test series. If the UDRS is in place, each team has an option of using two unsuccessful review requests per innings. If the original decision of the umpire stands but for reasons different than what it was originally referred for, it will be counted as an unsuccessful review request. Where available, the third umpire can use different technologies like the slow-motion replays, super slow motion replays, ultra motion replays, stump microphone sound (at normal speed and slow motion), approved ball-tracking technology (Hawk Eye), pitch mat generated by the ball-tracking technology along with the use of Hot Spot footage.
During the Australia-Pakistan series, the PCB is playing the role of the “home” board and is responsible for the implementation of the UDRS. Ponting was told by the match referee in the first test that it was not possible for the PCB to employ the UDRS in such a quick time. Like Kumar Sangakkara, the Australian captain wants the ICC to play its role in the implementation of the UDRS. One of the main issues related to the UDRS is its financial cost which some cricket boards are not willing to incur.
Ponting has become so used to the referral system that he wants it to be implemented in all games. Recent match being played at Lord’s saw some good on-field umpiring but Ricky wants the same level of consistency in all the matches. "I got my point across at the referee's meeting before the series. I think that even the ICC could have stepped in on this occasion," Australian captain said. "It's a financial thing at the end of the day, that's the reason we are not using it. I thought the ICC could have come in and done something about it. It hasn't eventuated so we've just got to get on with it now.
Ricky demanded more from ICC as the Australia captain asked the governing body to step-up their efforts in order to make the UDRS a compulsory requirement for holding test matches. Ponting admitted that there are different disputes with regards to its implementation since Pakistan is hosting a series at a neutral venue. He further added, "I don't know the ins and outs of the whole thing and the way it's being run. In a series like this one which is being held on a neutral venue, there is always going to be that dispute about who's paying for it and should we use it. It was brought in as compulsory in Test cricket 12 months ago now. I felt if it was ever left up in the air that someone should have stepped in and made sure that it actually happened."
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Haroon-Lorgat-c61719, Chief Executive of the ICC however defended the current process, where the home team decides in consultation with the visiting team about the implementation of the UDRS. Haroon said there are some technical complications that don’t allow the ICC to make UDRS a compulsion. He also said there were several complications of getting the UDRS implemented in the MCC Spirit of Cricket Series which is being played between Australia and Pakistan in England.
Lorgat said, "I understood there were some technical difficulties in getting it up and running before the first Test got going. The way we fashion the current scenario is for the home team in consultation with the visitors to determine if they want DRS or not. That's part of the process that we're walking to introduce it on a permanent basis."
With different teams complaining about current UDRS policy of the ICC, it is likely that the governing board will revise its policy.
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