Crowe clarifies umpiring procedures relating to clean catches

ICC match referee Jeff Crowe has sought to clarify the procedures which led to the on-field umpires referring one low catch to the television umpire and not another during the second Test between England and Australia at Lord's, which concluded today.

According to clause 3.2.3 in the standard Test match playing conditions the umpire at the bowler's end shall be entitled to refer an appeal for a caught decision to the third umpire if both he and the square-leg umpire are unable to decide whether a catch was taken cleanly.

"In the first instance, when Nathan Hauritz was the fielder, the on-field umpires consulted and neither was able to decide if the catch was taken cleanly so they referred the decision to the third umpire," said Mr Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees.

"However, in the second instance, when Andrew Strauss was the fielder, the square-leg umpire was confident the catch was taken cleanly and so did not refer it to the third umpire," said Mr Crowe.

"There has been some confusion as to why one incident was referred and not the other so it is simply a question of whether either on-field umpire is able to make the call himself or if he needs advice from the third umpire. If he is confident of the decision then he will make it himself regardless of how near or far away the incident took place," he added.

A full copy of the standard playing conditions for Tests can be found at http://www.icc-cricket.com/rules_and_regulations.php