There was, seemingly, as much bewilderment among players as among spectators and television viewers when the Umpiring Video Referral
There was, seemingly, as much bewilderment among players as among spectators and television viewers when the Umpiring Video Referral (Decision Review) System was introduced in Australia yesterday during the first Australia-West Indies Test at the Gabba.
But whereas West Indies captain Chris Gayle seemed rather bewildered about how best to use the system to advantage, Ricky Ponting's Australians, who had been exposed to the innovation during the last Test series in South Africa, seemed better adept at capitalising upon their two permitted referrals.
The review process allows teams two unsuccessful challenges to the video umpire for decisions.
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The Australians have a sensible unofficial team policy of encouraging their top order batsmen to use their discretion and utilise the two challenges against on field umpires' decisions, rather than have inept lower batsmen squander them.
Television replays showed the delivery from Jerome Taylor, to which he offered no stroke, unexpectedly came in and struck him on the pad outside the line of the off stump. The main criterion here was the fact that the batsman offered no stroke to the ball which he misread.
It is unlikely third umpire Mark Benson would have overturned the verdict, given that Watson shouldered arms.
Ricky Ponting must consider himself lucky in not being the first victim of the system in Australia when he was struck on the pad by pace bowler Ravi Rampal with his score 30.
Umpire Ian Gould turned down the appeal for leg-before but West Indian skipper Gayle immediately challenged the verdict.
Hawkeye, the television tool now being resorted to in order to minimise human error, showed the ball would have clipped the top of the stumps but the evidence was not conclusive. Ponting was given the benefit of the doubt and the appeal turned down by the video umpire.
Having had the referral turned down, Gayle decided not to go to the third umpire when, with his score 53, Ponting was rapped on the pads by fast bowler Kemar Roach.
Television replays showed the Australian Ponting was out without a shadow of doubt. Fortunately for the West Indians, the batsman was out caught behind in the next over.
Under the new system, third umpires follow the "zone of certainty" principle under which the middle of the ball has to be ascertained as clearly hitting the stumps for a batsman to be adjudged out.
Although opinion as regards the desirability of the system is still divided in Australia (critics feel it is too time-consuming and far from infallible), support for the greater use of technology to help umpires minimise, if not altogether eliminate, human error is gaining ground.
Sri Lanka's world record holder spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan is on record as saying: "I think it is a very good system... it will generate less complaints (sic) and benefit the game in general."
Umpires Billy Bowden and Aleem Dar are in favour of the system.
"Umpires will make better decisions knowing they have a safety net or back stop to support them," Bowden told The Telegraph yesterday.
"Dissent will grind to a halt, especially in the area of players showing frustration when they are given an incorrect decision.
"This system gave me strength to get back in the zone again and concentrate on the next ball knowing I won't be criticised in the papers the next day or being talked about for the remainder of the Test in a negative way."
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