The ICC is likely to debate the effectiveness and accuracy of the Umpires Decision Referral System during its chief executive meeting in London. An India media report claimed that although the ICC was yet to release the agenda for the meeting that will take place on the sidelines of the ICC awards from September 12, there is every likelihood of the UDRS issue coming up for discussion at the meeting of the CEOs.
A PCB official said that Pakistan’s stance on the use of the UDRS remained unchanged. “We still believe that it is a effective tool to reduce mistakes and errors in international matches but obviously discussions can be held on further improving the technological support for the system,” the source said. “Overall if you look at the big picture the system has been pretty effective especially during the World Cup and it has helped umpires,” the source noted. The debate on the UDRS got heated again during the India and England series and the first test between Sri Lanka and Australia in Galle. Australia umpire Simon Taufel, the senior international umpire, has referred Phil Hughes’ second innings lbw dismissal in the first Test to the ICC as a serious question mark against the accuracy of Hawk-Eye, the ball tracking technology. Taufel and the officiating umpires Richard Kettleborough, Aleem Dar and Tony Hill have also sent the relevant footage of the incident to the ICC’s cricket operations department. Taufel has observed the first two days of the first Test at Galle in part to assess the impact of technology’s inconsistent use and accuracy, having umpired in England’s home series against India under vastly different playing conditions and technological aids.
Taufel has said the ICC needed to see the veracity of devices such as Hawk-Eye, HotSpot and Virtual Eye via independent testing that sits outside the views of broadcasters and suppliers.
In the England and India series, senior batsman Rahul Dravid has now thrice suffered from debatable caught behind decisions despite them being referred to the television umpire raising questions about the accuracy of the modern technology.
Asked if the chief executives meeting would debate on the response of the Pakistan board to the recommendations made by the special task force on Pakistan cricket, the source said this was an issue that was taken up at the highest level by the executive board of the ICC.
PCB may push for UDRS in ICC meeting
