Umpire Decision Review System in Cricket World Cup 2011
The international cricket council cricket committee has decided to implement the Umpire Decision Review System in the upcoming world cup, which is to be held in Sub continent, the decision was taken at the annual meeting of ICC took place at the home of cricket Lords cricket ground in London. The committee also recommended that the umpire decision review system should also be implemented in all test series as soon as possible, the meeting was chaired by Clive Lloyd a former West Indies captain and a legend of Caribbean cricket.
The meeting also discussed the undue advantage that they believe the batsmen get over the bowling side, which include backing up at the non strikers end even before the bowler has delivered the ball, and also decided to discourage the batsman changing the grip of his bat before the bowler gets into his delivery stride.
However, the most important thing to come out of the meeting was, the implementation of UDRS, which has not been used on consistent bases since it was introduced back in 2008, but now ICC committee has said that it should be introduced "as soon as possible" in all Test series. While it should also be part of the ICC world cup which is to be held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh next year.
The final decision will only be taken once a consensus is reached between ICC and the official broadcasters of the event, ESPN-STAR, as it will be them who would be bearing the cost of implementing the equipment needed to implement UDRS. The committee also made recommendations about introducing a minimum standard of technology, like ball tracking technology, including in the third umpire room, and also reviewing the technology and equipment on annual basis.
Up till now the system has received mixed reviews from players and umpires. It landed in controversy during the Johannesburg Test between England and South Africa in January 2010, when a caught behind appeal was turned down by the third umpire Daryl Harper. In a bid to eliminate any inconsistency, the ICC decided it had to meet with all broadcasting companies in a bid to standardize the use of technology, and hosted a workshop earlier in the year.
The ICC president David Morgan said that day-night Test matches may be possible in the near future, India and Australia are touted as potential hosts, but said that the issue needs a lot more testing and deliberation, before it can actually be tested out.
The ICC also decided to look into the law which allowed non-strikers to back up too far while the ball was being delivered, that in return gives them an unfair advantage while completing a run.
"ICC Cricket Committee agreed that batsmen trying to steal ground when the bowler is running in to bowl should be discouraged. They will look at regulations that require a batsman to remain in his crease until the bowler's front foot lands."
While commenting on the switch hit or reverse sweep, ICC statement said that a bowler has the right to stop midway through his bowling stride if he sees a batsman change his grip
So the evolution of cricket continues, but we would have to wait and see if these new rules and permutations are actually put in place, and if they are how much the game would actually benefit from it.
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