ICC mulls umpire reviews for World Cup

The ICC is considering implementing the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) for the World Cup in the subcontinent next year. The system, meant to reduce umpiring errors, has been used in Tests but never officially in a one-day international. The ICC's Chief Executives' Committee met in Dubai to review the implementation of the system in 14 Tests over the last four months.

It also hosted a UDRS workshop which was attended by representatives of Channel Nine (Australia), Sky Sports (UK), Ten Sports and Sky New Zealand and of technology suppliers Hawkeye, Virtual Eye and Hotspot.

"The scope of the discussion covered the protocols for broadcasters and umpires as well as the playing conditions around DRS," David Richardson, the ICC general manager - cricket, said. "We also looked at the preferred technology, whether there was a need for standardisation for all Tests around the world and the cost of providing equipment at all Test matches. There was also constructive discussions on whether DRS should be used for the ICC Cricket World Cup."

The system, introduced in July 2008 and used in select Test series, has received mixed reviews from players and umpires. It landed in controversy during the Johannesburg Test between England and South Africa in January, when a caught behind appeal was turned down by the third umpire Daryl Harper. It later transpired that Harper may not have adjusted the volume on his equipment from the preset level of 4 out of 10, although the absence of Hotspot and Snickometer technology from the broadcasting package provided by the hosts, SABC, meant that he might still have felt that the evidence was insufficient to overturn the decision of the onfield umpire, Tony Hill.

In a bid to eliminate such inconsistencies in the future, the ICC decided that they had to meet with all broadcasting companies in a bid to standardise the use of technology.