Skippers welcome review trial

2008-07-22 15:21

Colombo - Indian cricket captain Anil Kumble and his Sri Lankan opposite number Mahela Jayawardene Tuesday welcomed an experimental rule allowing players to seek a second opinion on umpiring decisions.

The rule, which will trial during the three-Test series starting here on Wednesday, allows a batsman or fielding captain to request a review of any decision by referring it to the third official monitoring television replays.

Each team will be allowed three unsuccessful review requests per innings and if one is successful they will get an additional appeal.

So far, only the on-field umpires determine if a decision needs to be passed on to TV officials.

"It will obviously be helpful for the umpires and the teams. I can't really say much till it is experimented because it's something new. We're only looking at the positive things," said Kumble.

"It's meant for the errors that sometimes happen. We can look to negate that and not question the umpire's decision at every possibility. These kinds of referrals may matter and change the course of the game as well.

"I don't think we are saying that umpires are redundant. They are an integral part of the system. It's sometimes very difficult for the umpires in the heat of the moment and this is not taking something away from them."

'Very good system'

The International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to trial the review in March, but it was delayed after England and South Africa failed to reach an agreement on it for their ongoing series.

A player can make a request for a review by making a "T" sign with his hands and the television umpire's decision is final.

The rule will apply for all dismissals except "Timed Out" when an incoming batsman is out if he takes too long to arrive at the crease after the fall of the previous wicket.

"It is a very good system. What we are trying to eradicate is obvious mistakes that happen on the field," said Jayawardene.

"I think the umpires are in favour of that as well. It's going to be used for the first time so I am not sure how good it will be, but we need to support this because it will benefit cricket overall.

"We have to do it in a very respectful manner for the umpires because after all they are humans as well and they understand that sometimes they do make mistakes. We are just trying to eradicate that."

Former India captain Rahul Dravid said it would be a learning process for everybody.

"It's the first time any of us is experiencing it, but I just hope the television technology matches up to it and gives us a clear picture of what is happening in the middle so that a correct decision is made," he said.

A similar experiment in English domestic one-day cricket last season was widely regarded as unsuccessful with the third umpire generally reluctant to over-rule his colleagues in the middle.

- AFP