By IANS,
Dubai : The International Cricket Council (ICC) said Tuesday that the trial run of the umpire’s decision review system during the upcoming India-Sri Lanka Test series is an effort to improve the game at the international level.
“The ICC is extremely grateful to both Sri Lanka and India for agreeing to take part in this trial. We want to see if we can enhance the game by reducing or removing the few clearly incorrect ones,” ICC’s acting chief executive officer David Richardson said in a statement.
The India-Sri Lanka series starts July 23 in Colombo.
“The fact that each side is allowed only three unsuccessful requests to review in each innings should mean that players will not make frivolous challenges and, instead, only seek a referral of those decisions which are highly likely to be incorrect,” he added.
Richardson also said that the review system could help the ICC remove a source of tension and frustration among players and spectators as well as any resultant pressure on umpires.
“At the same time we have sought to ensure the continued primacy of the on-field umpire. The man on the field’s role is to consult with his colleague, not to refer the decision away, and he still decides whether or not to change his original decision,” he said.
The trial will be reviewed after the three-Test series gets over in August to assess whether it was successful and worth persevering with.