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Review of umpire decisions

Four more trials for review system

Cricinfo staff

September 27, 2008

	Steve Davis: "We need to be open-minded when considering the system and we are committed to being objective and giving it a real good try" © Getty Images

The ICC will trial the system to review umpire decisions in four more series before presenting a report to the cricket committee in May 2009. The system had been trialled during the three-Test series between Sri Lanka and India, and received mixed reactions. The ICC has not decided on the four series where the system will be tested.

A three-day seminar was conduced in Dubai for the ICC's elite panel of umpires and match referees, intended to improve teamwork and performance levels. The meeting was also attended by the ICC's Associate and Affiliate international umpires' panel and the five recently-appointed regional umpire performance managers and umpire managers from the ten Full Members.

"I think it went very well," Vince van der Bijl, the ICC's umpires' and referees' manager, said. "I was impressed with the level of energy and commitment that was displayed by everyone, across all sections. They were long days but it was very encouraging to see everyone so involved and attentive.

"There is a real desire among our umpires and referees to work as a team with a commonality of purpose. These guys are continually striving to get better and we now look forward to the next 12 months. There is always a lot of work to do but we are putting the right building blocks in place to make sure our officials' performances continue to improve."

Steve Davis, an umpire on the elite panel, said they were open to the new review system. "For me, the most interesting thing was the detail surrounding the decision review system and the upcoming further trials," he said. "There was very positive feedback from the first trial and now we want to continue those trials and make a really in-depth analysis of the system.

"We need to be open-minded when considering the system and we are committed to being objective and giving it a real good try." An important part of the conference was on preferred interpretations for Test and ODI playing conditions, with October 1 the implementation date for the new conditions.

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