The International Cricket Council (ICC) took the unusual step of publicly defending the performances of its officials and the Decision Review System (DRS) in a specific match following the controversial first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.
Of the 72 decisions made by Aleem Dar, his on-field colleague Kumar Dharmasena and third umpire Marais Erasmus, the ICC highlighted seven errors.
Three were uncorrected decisions – the first of which was where the technology was at fault in England’s second innings for Jonathan Trott being given lbw when he was originally given not out and two against Stuart Broad when Australia had no reviews available — while four decisions were corrected by DRS.
Therefore, the ICC said, the use of technology improved the correct decision percentage rose from 90.3 percent to 95.8 percent.
“The umpires did a good job under difficult conditions. This reflects the calibre of umpires Dar, Dharmasena and Erasmus who have consistently performed at a high level,” ICC chief executive David Richardson said in a statement.
“However, like the players, umpires can also have good and bad days but we all know that the umpire’s decision, right or wrong, is final and must be accepted.
“While the ICC has complete faith in the ability of its umpires, our
confidence in technology is also strengthened by the fact that there was an increase in the number of correct decisions in the Trent Bridge Test through the use of the DRS.
“Technology was introduced with the objective of eradicating the obvious umpiring errors and to get as many correct decisions as possible. If it can help increase the correct decisions by 5.
5 per cent, then it is a good outcome, but we must continue to strive to improve umpiring and the performance of the DRS.
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That means only four men — Dar, Dharmasena, Erasmus and New Zealand’s Tony Hill — are currently eligible to officiate in Ashes Tests, leaving the ICC with little room for manoeuvre should any of them lose form. (AFP)
