NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket board's long-standing showdown with the International Cricket Council over the Umpire Decision Review System seems to have been resolved, for the time being, with both sides treading a middle path over the contentious use of technological aids in the game. The ICC's chief executives' committee meeting in Hong Kong, which concluded on Monday, also recommended some path-breaking tweaks in the game.
The changes, if approved by the ICC executive board, will be unrolled from October 1. These include significant modifications to make ODIs more engrossing - like the use of a new ball from each end and making it mandatory for teams to take their elective powerplays between the 16th and 40th over.
Runners, long an integral part of cricket, will be outlawed from all forms of the game. An injured batsman can no longer ask a teammate to run for him. Recommendations have also been made for stricter penalties for captains guilty of slow over rates.
But the agreement on DRS hogged all the attention. The ICC has made its use mandatory, but removed the ball-tracking technology - which BCCI opposes - as an essential component of the system.
The compromise on the vexed UDRS issue is clearly a case of give and take between India, cricket's financial muscle, and the game's world body to resolve a damaging row which was threatening to split member nations.
Under the agreement, teams will be allowed to make one incorrect challenge to an on-field umpire's decision instead of the two challenges currently in use.
For the first time since 2008, Indian players will be using the DRS in the series against England in July. The BCCI, which has for long maintained that tracking tools like Hawkeye were unreliable, has accepted the use of infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices.
"Once ICC understood our concerns, the BCCI had no issues in accepting the use of DRS," board vice-president Rajiv Shukla said. "Board president Shashank Manohar and secretary N Srinivasan made their reservations clear about some of the aspects of the DRS."
These reservations included Hawkeye and similar ball-tracking tools which will now only be used as a "bilateral agreement" between two willing nations.
Amid these attempts to resolve the issue, the modified DRS raises its own questions. While DRS has been made mandatory, the ICC has said that it is to be used subject to availability and cost considerations. Clear decisions on the huge cost-sharing process between host boards and broadcasters too are yet to emerge. The power of referral in leg-before decisions involving the line of the ball too has been taken away from the player and the final decision restored to the on-field umpire. The widespread availability of Hot Spot, a costly infra-red device to determine ball-deflection, too seems to be an issue.
England's ODI skipper Alastair Cook welcomed India's move to embrace the DRS, saying, "I believe DRS helps get more right decisions. I think technology to get those decisions right is the best way forward."
While it is likely to be an uphill task for the ICC to resolve outstanding issues amicably, what is clear is that the DRS is here to stay, and can only grow wing in future. With BCCI muscle in place, the approval of the executive board now seems a formality.
Meanwhile, minnows were given another lifeline after they protested against the ICC's decision to make the World Cup an exclusive, 10-team club, and a qualification process has been recommended for them without elaborating on the number of teams.
Salient features of ICC's cricket 2.0
ICC recommends a slew of changes in cricket. These proposals will be sent to the ICC executive board for ratification...
Yes to UDRS, no to Hawkeye
A restricted version of DRS, minus ball-tracking technologies like Hawkeye which predict the path of a delivery, will now be used in all Tests and ODIs DRS permitted to use infra-red cameras (Hot Spot) and audio-tracking devices. Number of unsuccessful reviews reduced from two to one. New system to be used in India-England series. Hawkeye can be used in bilateral series if both sides agree.
Victory for BCCI?
Indian board's grouse against DRS was Hawkeye, which it said was unreliable. ICC has taken care of this concern. ICC said 'expert' research will be carried out on accuracy of ball-tracking technology.
Will new rules plug controversy?
Unlikely. Questions remain on implementation. ICC has made DRS 'mandatory' subject to 'availability' and 'affordability'. Grey areas abound. LBW decisions will, in practice, go out of DRS ambit. Without technologies like Hawkeye showing where the ball had pitched, the third umpire won't have the tools to adjudicate. Availability of Hot Spot is an issue. Costs vary from $5,000 a day to $60,000 per match. A pact on cost-sharing between board and broadcasters seems unlikely.
Goodbye to runners
No runners to be allowed for injured batsmen in any form of the game.
ODIs tweaked
Elective Powerplays (batting or bowling) can only be used in 16th to 40th over. Two new balls to be used per innings. ICC members encouraged to try innovations in domestic matches like increasing maximum overs for bowler; increasing number of short balls per over and changing number of fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle in different periods of play.
Minnows get lifeline
ICC recommends a qualification process for the 2015 World Cup but is silent on the number of teams in the event
TOI
The changes, if approved by the ICC executive board, will be unrolled from October 1. These include significant modifications to make ODIs more engrossing - like the use of a new ball from each end and making it mandatory for teams to take their elective powerplays between the 16th and 40th over.
Runners, long an integral part of cricket, will be outlawed from all forms of the game. An injured batsman can no longer ask a teammate to run for him. Recommendations have also been made for stricter penalties for captains guilty of slow over rates.
But the agreement on DRS hogged all the attention. The ICC has made its use mandatory, but removed the ball-tracking technology - which BCCI opposes - as an essential component of the system.
The compromise on the vexed UDRS issue is clearly a case of give and take between India, cricket's financial muscle, and the game's world body to resolve a damaging row which was threatening to split member nations.
Under the agreement, teams will be allowed to make one incorrect challenge to an on-field umpire's decision instead of the two challenges currently in use.
For the first time since 2008, Indian players will be using the DRS in the series against England in July. The BCCI, which has for long maintained that tracking tools like Hawkeye were unreliable, has accepted the use of infra-red cameras and audio-tracking devices.
"Once ICC understood our concerns, the BCCI had no issues in accepting the use of DRS," board vice-president Rajiv Shukla said. "Board president Shashank Manohar and secretary N Srinivasan made their reservations clear about some of the aspects of the DRS."
These reservations included Hawkeye and similar ball-tracking tools which will now only be used as a "bilateral agreement" between two willing nations.
Amid these attempts to resolve the issue, the modified DRS raises its own questions. While DRS has been made mandatory, the ICC has said that it is to be used subject to availability and cost considerations. Clear decisions on the huge cost-sharing process between host boards and broadcasters too are yet to emerge. The power of referral in leg-before decisions involving the line of the ball too has been taken away from the player and the final decision restored to the on-field umpire. The widespread availability of Hot Spot, a costly infra-red device to determine ball-deflection, too seems to be an issue.
England's ODI skipper Alastair Cook welcomed India's move to embrace the DRS, saying, "I believe DRS helps get more right decisions. I think technology to get those decisions right is the best way forward."
While it is likely to be an uphill task for the ICC to resolve outstanding issues amicably, what is clear is that the DRS is here to stay, and can only grow wing in future. With BCCI muscle in place, the approval of the executive board now seems a formality.
Meanwhile, minnows were given another lifeline after they protested against the ICC's decision to make the World Cup an exclusive, 10-team club, and a qualification process has been recommended for them without elaborating on the number of teams.
Salient features of ICC's cricket 2.0
ICC recommends a slew of changes in cricket. These proposals will be sent to the ICC executive board for ratification...
Yes to UDRS, no to Hawkeye
A restricted version of DRS, minus ball-tracking technologies like Hawkeye which predict the path of a delivery, will now be used in all Tests and ODIs DRS permitted to use infra-red cameras (Hot Spot) and audio-tracking devices. Number of unsuccessful reviews reduced from two to one. New system to be used in India-England series. Hawkeye can be used in bilateral series if both sides agree.
Victory for BCCI?
Indian board's grouse against DRS was Hawkeye, which it said was unreliable. ICC has taken care of this concern. ICC said 'expert' research will be carried out on accuracy of ball-tracking technology.
Will new rules plug controversy?
Unlikely. Questions remain on implementation. ICC has made DRS 'mandatory' subject to 'availability' and 'affordability'. Grey areas abound. LBW decisions will, in practice, go out of DRS ambit. Without technologies like Hawkeye showing where the ball had pitched, the third umpire won't have the tools to adjudicate. Availability of Hot Spot is an issue. Costs vary from $5,000 a day to $60,000 per match. A pact on cost-sharing between board and broadcasters seems unlikely.
Goodbye to runners
No runners to be allowed for injured batsmen in any form of the game.
ODIs tweaked
Elective Powerplays (batting or bowling) can only be used in 16th to 40th over. Two new balls to be used per innings. ICC members encouraged to try innovations in domestic matches like increasing maximum overs for bowler; increasing number of short balls per over and changing number of fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle in different periods of play.
Minnows get lifeline
ICC recommends a qualification process for the 2015 World Cup but is silent on the number of teams in the event
TOI
1 comment:
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