Results of ICC Cricket Committee meeting
Recommends phased roll-out of the Umpire Decision Review System from October 2009 with intervening period for firming up of minimum technology standards and protocols and additional training for match officials Concept of day/night Test cricket should be explored providing it is what stakeholders want, an appropriate colour ball can be found and first-class trials are successful Support for promotion of Test cricket and stricter punishments for slow over-rates recommended Vision available through SNTV and photos available through Getty Images
The ICC Cricket Committee concluded its two-day meeting at Lord’s on Tuesday agreeing to recommend a phased roll-out of the umpire decision review system (UDRS) in Tests from October 2009.
The recommendation followed consideration of the results of trials of the system over the previous nine months.
It agreed the concept of day/night Test cricket should be explored with the possibility of a trial match in 2010 providing key factors were established beforehand. These factors included successful tests of an appropriate colour ball, a clear indication that day/night Tests were what stakeholders wanted and successful trials at first-class level.
The committee also agreed to recommend stricter penalties for players and captains guilty of failing to maintain an acceptable over-rate. Host boards, umpires and match referees should also take responsibility for ensuring that everything within their control was done to ensure over-rates remained as high as possible.
The ICC Cricket Committee’s remit is to discuss and consult on any cricket-playing matters and to formulate recommendations to the Chief Executives’ Committee and the ICC Board for approval. The next meetings of those committees are set for Lord’s during the ICC’s annual conference week, from 22 to 26 June.
The committee was chaired for the first time by former West Indies captain and ICC Cricket World Cup winner Clive Lloyd, who took over from ex-India captain Sunil Gavaskar.
And the meeting was attended by highly respected figures within the world of cricket, including David Richardson, ICC General Manager – Cricket, former Australia captain Mark Taylor and Ian Bishop, the former West Indies fast bowler, the last two named now respected commentators on the game.
It also featured umpire of the year Simon Taufel, chief ICC match referee and former Sri Lanka captain Ranjan Madugalle, South Africa coach Mickey Arthur and Tim May, the former Australia off-spinner and now the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations as well as Clare Connor, the head of women’s cricket for the England and Wales Cricket Board.
The committee is representative of all stakeholders in the modern game, including players, umpires and the media.
Items discussed included the following:
Use of technology – umpire decision review system trial
The committee considered the results of the umpire decision review system, which was trialled in four separate Test series over the past nine months.
It considered the following questions and came to the attached conclusions:
• Was the number of overall incorrect umpiring decisions reduced? Yes.
• Was there an undue negative influence on the pace of the game? No.
• What was the effect on the players and did the process of placing the responsibility on the players for deciding whether a decision should be reviewed work? The committee concluded this was the most appropriate way of handling the review system; the past experience of the Johnnie Walker Super Series in 2005 when the umpires had the opportunity to call for reviews showed that path was not effective as it led to umpires doubting their own abilities and slowed the game down.• Was the process (request for review, consultation and the conveying of the final decision) practical? Yes, although it was agreed it needed fine-tuning.
• What was the effect on the umpires and was the authority of the on-field officials unduly compromised? The committee concluded any possible negatives were far outweighed by the positive effect of ensuring more correct decisions were made.• Were there any other positives or negatives to be considered?It was considered of vital importance that further training of the umpires in the processes was necessary ahead of any further use of the UDRS. This would be to ensure maximum levels of consistency in the implementation of the system. It was also noted that the use of the UDRS reduced examples of player dissent which may otherwise have occurred following incorrect decisions.
On the basis of its conclusions, the committee agreed to recommend that there should be a phased roll-out of the system from October 2009. The period before that date would allow for the following:
• Factoring in of lessons learnt from the trials
• Documentation of minimum technical standards in technology and protocols
• Confirmation and implementation of minimum standards for the third umpire’s room
• Further training of umpires to implement the protocols and processes consistently
The committee will receive an updated report at next year’s meeting.
The committee’s recommendations will now go forward to the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and the ICC Board, both of them meeting at Lord’s in late June, during the ICC’s annual conference week.
ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “I’m excited that the committee concluded that the umpire decision review system had a positive effect on the game.
“It reduced the number of incorrect decisions and also cut down on the instances of player dissent.
“The committee’s recommendation will now be taken forward to the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and the ICC Board and if both those groups agree then we will seek to roll out the system from October 2009.
“The time ahead of that date will allow us to firm up the playing conditions, technical specifications and protocols, ensure additional training for match officials and further brief the players so that the process can be successfully implemented.”
The four series in which the UDRS was trialled were Sri Lanka v India (August 2008), New Zealand v West Indies (December 2008), West Indies v England (February/March 2009) and South Africa v Australia (February/March 2009).
The system afforded players the opportunity to request a review by the television umpire of a decision made by the on-field umpire they believed to be incorrect. The third official was able to view the available television pictures and relay information back to the umpire on the field who then had to decide whether or not to reverse his original decision.
In the first two of the four series involved in the trial each side was allowed a maximum of three unsuccessful appeals per innings. This was reduced to two per side, per innings for the remaining series that formed part of the trial.
Day/night Test cricket
The committee considered the desirability of day/night Test cricket. It agreed it was an opportunity to be explored providing several factors were addressed.
These factors were:
• Successful trials of an appropriate colour ball for use in such matches. The red ball currently used for Tests would not be of use at night and there remains an issue concerning the lasting qualities of the white ball.
• Research – is day/night Test cricket something that spectators, broadcasters and commercial partners would want?
• Successful trial matches at first-class level allowing any issues not yet considered to be experienced and addressed.
Providing these factors could be satisfactorily addressed over the coming months then it was agreed the concept could be explored further. This could involve the committee receiving an update at the start of 2010 ahead of an update to the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and, if appropriate, a day/night Test could be trialled later that year.
Mr Lorgat said: “The committee recognised the need to promote Test cricket and was happy for talks on this matter to advance. However, before it gave the concept the green light it agreed that several aspects needed to be firmed up first.
“This included identifying an appropriate colour ball for use in such matches and trialling the game at first-class level beforehand. The committee also wanted evidence that day/night cricket was what cricket’s stakeholders wanted because there would be no point in staging such matches if that was not the case.
“If those aspects can be addressed in the next few months then the committee could reconvene by teleconference, update the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee and it may be possible to look at a trial day/night Test at some stage in 2010, although there is much to be done before we can say that is likely to happen.”
Playing conditions and Laws
Over-rates
The committee recognised the importance of maintaining the pace of play, particularly in Test cricket.
It acknowledged improvements in Test match over-rates over the past 12 months and believed the current legislated requirement of 15 overs per hour was appropriate, achievable and realistic.
The committee recommended that if teams, and, in particular captains, fell below these expected levels then stricter penalties should be enforced.
It recommended that these should include stricter enforcement of the ICC Code of Conduct and the Laws of Cricket (42.9, Time-wasting by the fielding side and 42.10, Batsman wasting time) and a doubling of fines for a failure to maintain the required over-rates.
It also recommended that if a captain led a team that received three over-rate fines in the same format of the game in any 12-month period then he should automatically face a suspension.
At the same time, the committee accepted that a message should to be sent to each host board that they needed to be far more diligent in ensuring delays within their control that could affect the pace of the game were kept to a minimum. As an example, the committee heard that in the previous six months there was an average delay of 14 minutes per Test caused by issues around sightscreens.
It was agreed to recommend that current over-rates would be displayed on scoreboards to ensure everyone was aware of the situation at all times.
It was also agreed that protocols should be developed to miminise the interruptions caused by unscheduled drinks breaks.
Mr Lorgat said: “The ICC Board gave the ICC Cricket Committee a clear mandate to explore ways in which over-rates, especially those in Test matches, can be maintained or improved.
“This is essential to ensure the game continues to engage with spectators, viewers, listeners and commercial and broadcast partners.
“The committee has come up with recommendations designed to keep the game moving while also asking the host boards to take more responsibility for issues within their control.”
Bats
The committee supported the MCC’s recent decision that there was no need to impose a limit on the weight and depth of bats.
It heard that the MCC had consulted with many manufacturers and the conclusion was that the average weights of bats had not changed much, if at all, and the appearance of greater volume was often due to the fact the bats were no longer pressed in preparation as much as in the past.
It was agreed that any regulation would be tough to enforce.
The committee also agreed with the MCC that the double-sided bat and the switch-hit should be considered legal.
Review of the ODI format
The committee discussed the One-Day International (ODI) format and whether there was a need to recommend any revisions to it.
It concluded that, given there had been a major alteration to the playing conditions that was brought in last October with the batting side allowed to nominate one of the Powerplays, it would be sensible to allow more time to see if that was effective before deciding upon any further changes.
Media arrangements
SNTV will file a story after the conclusion of the meeting. Further details should be available to SNTV subscribers through usual contacts.
Getty Images, the ICC’s official photographers, has already filed photographs of the meeting, the first day of which was on Monday 11 May. Further details can be obtained from James Dobbs at Getty Images – James.Dobbs@gettyimages.com
The ICC Cricket Committee is made up of the following people:
Chairman – Clive Lloyd (former West Indies captain)
Past players (two) – Ian Bishop (former West Indies fast bowler) and Mark Taylor (ex-Australia captain)
Representatives of current players (two) – Kumar Sangakkara (unable to attend due to his playing commitments; Kumar sent his comments ahead of the meeting) and Tim May (ex-Australia off-spinner, ICC Cricket World Cup winner in 1987 and now chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations)
Full Member team coach representative (one) – Mickey Arthur (South Africa)
Member Board representative (one) – Duleep Mendis (former Sri Lanka captain and now SLC chief executive)
Associate representative (one) – Steve Tikolo (Kenya; was unable to attend)
Media representative (one) – Ravi Shastri (former India captain and all-rounder and now a widely-respected commentator – first meeting as a member of this committee)
Umpires’ representative (one) – Simon Taufel (member of the Emirates Elite Panel and named umpire of the year five times in a row at the LG ICC Awards)
Referees’ representative (one) – Ranjan Madugalle (ICC chief match referee and former Sri Lanka captain)
Marylebone Cricket Club representative (one) – Keith Bradshaw (MCC Secretary and Chief Executive; former first-class cricketer for Tasmania in Australia. The MCC is the custodian of the Laws of Cricket)
Statistician (one) – David Kendix (a statistician/scorer and the man responsible for the creation and development of the Reliance Mobile ICC Test and ODI Championships)
Women’s representative (one) – Clare Connor (former England captain and head of the women’s game for the England and Wales Cricket Board – first meeting as a member of this committee; this is the first ICC Cricket Committee meeting that has included a women’s representative)
ICC President David Morgan, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat and ICC General Manager – Cricket David Richardson were also in attendance.
