DURBAN – The International Cricket Council should take responsibility for implementing the umpire review system itself and remove the right of Test teams to opt out, South Africa captain Graeme Smith said on Wednesday.
Smith and his team were frustrated by a number of decisions the captain called unlucky as India beat them by 87 runs to square the three-match series 1-1.
The Umpire Decision Review System, designed to eradicate clear umpiring mistakes, is not in use in the series, though it is in the current Ashes tests between Australia and England, and Smith would like to see consistency in future.
“The ICC needs to take responsibility and lead the way when it comes to the review system,” Smith said at a news conference after his team’s defeat.
“They can’t just let the boards decide and negotiate it. Using the UDRS once every seven series is not going to help anybody.”
This year the powerful Indian Cricket Board opted against the review system’s use for their series against New Zealand in November, Australia in October and this series.
South Africa, chasing 303 to win, were bowled out for 215 on the fourth day, with both AB de Villiers (33) and Mark Boucher (1) falling to lbw decisions that television replays showed may not have been correct.
Smith made no excuses for the loss, the hosts’ third in as many matches in Durban.
“We had one or two unlucky decisions, but India bowled well,” he said.
“We haven’t played well in Durban, but I don’t think it’s just about pace and bounce. Against England last year it was reverse-swing and spinner Graeme Swann bowled well.
“We were a bit loose in this test, it was a pitch that you needed to graft hard on, not one total was over 250.”
