Umpire decision review system recommended for all tests

LONDON, (Reuters) – The International Cricket  Council’s rule-making committee recommended unanimously yesterday the adoption of the Decision Review System (DRS) in  all international matches.

Clive Lloyd

The DRS, under which teams have two appeals against an  umpire’s decision, has been implemented in 31 tests as well as  this year’s 50 overs World Cup.

Former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, the chairman of the  ICC’s cricket committee, told a news conference at Lord’s a  two-day meeting had agreed the DRS should be used in all  international matches. He said the committee also recommended  that teams should be allowed only one unsuccessful appeal in  each innings.

The recommendations will be sent to the Chief Executives  Committee and the ICC Board for approval.

Both committees will meet in Hong Kong from June 26-30 and,  if they accept the proposal, the DRS will then be used in the  four-test series between England and India starting the  following month. The Indian board has been opposed to the system  since it was introduced in October, 2009.

“The committee unanimously recommended that the DRS be used  in all test matches,” Lloyd said. “It also recommended it be  used in ODIs (one-day internationals) and T20 series with each  side allowed one unsuccessful review per innings.

“This recommendation was made following what the committee  agreed was a successful application during the ICC Cricket World  Cup 2011.”

PINK BALL

“The committee’s recommendation that the DRS should be used  in all formats of the game confirms two key conclusions that  came from our discussions. It shows the group’s confidence in  the system and it also highlights the committee’s view that it  does aid the umpires in making correct decisions.”

The committee also agreed that a pink ball was likely to be  the most effective colour in proposed day-night test cricket  under floodlights.

“However the committee believes that the ball which was  trialed by the Marylebone Cricket Club required further testing  in first-class cricket to confirm its durability before it could  recommend its adoption as a test match ball as part of a move  towards day-night tests in the future,” Lloyd said.

He said ICC member boards would be encouraged to trial the  ball in at least one round of first class matches.