DRS bid ‘quashed’ after India object

Cricket’s latest bid to make decision review technology mandatory for all Tests and one-day internationals has been swiftly quashed after opposition from powerful India, a report said.
The recommendation by chief executives was not put to a vote and “came and went without a murmur” at the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) board meeting in Kuala Lumpur, the ESPNcricinfo site reported, citing people present.
The board meeting was chaired by India’s Sharad Pawar, who is the ICC president. India was the only country to object to the measure, the authoritative website said.
The report comes after India publicly rejected the new recommendation for mandatory use of the Decision Review System (DRS), which employs ball-tracking and thermal-imaging technology to check whether batsmen should be given out.
“The BCCI continues to believe that the system is not foolproof,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement on Monday.
India, including star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, have been deeply suspicious of DRS since a number of reviews went against them in their 2008 Test series with Sri Lanka, when the technology was on trial.
And India, who provide the lion’s share of global cricket revenues due to their huge fan-base, torpedoed a similar bid for mandatory DRS at last year’s annual ICC talks, where it was controversially made optional.
Other countries have voiced strong support for the technology. This week, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka called for compulsory DRS after a rash of contentious decisions marred the first Test in Galle. “It should be made compulsory for every game,” said Pakistan captain Mohammed Hafeez.
On Monday, cricket’s chief executives said independent testing had proved the accuracy of DRS, and recommended it for all Tests and one-day internationals provided host nations can afford and obtain the equipment.
It was not known if the issue would be raised again at the ICC board meeting, which concludes on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s ICC Council meeting in the Malaysian capital.
Separately, South African-born former England captain Tony Greig urged India to use its wide influence for the good of the game, accusing it of being “preoccupied with money” during a lecture at Lord’s in London.
“Much of the game is controlled by the BCCI because it controls enough votes to block any proposal put forward at the ICC board meetings,” said Greig, who described himself as a strong supporter of DRS.
“The spirit of cricket is more important than generating billions of dollars; it’s more important than turning out multi-millionaire players; and it’s more important than getting square with Australia and England for their bully-boy tactics towards India over the years,” he added.
India has also rejected proposals to reform the ICC put forward in a self-commissioned review, which strongly criticised its “members’ club” structure.

Hafeez adds voice to DRS call

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has joined Coach Dav Whatmore in calling for the Decision Review System (DRS) to me made compulsory for all matches, after Pakistan cricket team fell victim to a number of poor decisions against Sri Lanka. The first Test in Galle was blighted by the lack of DRS, which led to Whatmore calling for the immediate implementation of the system across the board, Hafeez then joined the appeal, though he did not go so far as to blame the situation for his side’s 209-run defeat. The bad decisions went both ways, as both sides were frustrated by being unable to review decisions, but it can be said that Pakistan was the worse-off side. Sri Lanka did not have the system installed because of costs involved. “One thing I want to say is that it is time for the highest authorities to make a decision on the DRS. It should be compulsory for every game. I feel as a player, not having the DRS puts a lot of pressure on you and that pressure go to the umpires. If this technology can improve this game then why not the authorities should either go for it [DRS] or not at all”, Hafeez said. However, Pakistan has lost the game by a record margin but Hafeez he was full of praise for his batsmen in the second innings, who nearly forced the game into a fifth day after a gritty 151-run stand between Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq. “A big thumb up to my team for the spirit and character they showed. It was tough out there, their conduct was pleasing. I liked the way the boys fought it out on the last day when the conditions were tough. Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq and Adnan Akmal showed great character” Muhammad Hafeez said.