Cricket has done itself few favours in the last couple of weeks, what with the farce on the ‘beach’ in Antigua, and the powers that be continue to shoot themselves in the foot.
The ICC are trialling the referral system, whereby both sides can call for technology if they feel a decision has gone against them. There are those who are against the use of technology, saying cricket needs the human element of umpires being in sole charge of the game.
I, though, believe the use of technology should be used to ensure the right decision is made all of the time. But it does not seem to be happening.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul was given out lbw to James Anderson, padding up to a straight ball. At first glance, at full pace, it looked a decent decision but Chanderpaul felt hard done to and called for a referral. Hawkeye showed the ball had pitched in line and hit Chanderpaul in line, but it became clear from the moment it was slowed down that the ball was going over the top of the stumps.
It was clear to the world, his wife and the digicel dancers that the ball was going over the top. I suggest it was clear to third umpire Daryl Harper that the ball was going over the top, but as the rules stand his hands are pretty much tied.
The referral rule states that there must be ‘irrefutable evidence’ in order to change a decision. In this instance the ball struck Chanderpaul above the pad and level with the top of the stumps and still on the rise. But unless you put a brick wall in between the batsman and the stumps, you cannot say for certain that the ball would not have gone on to hit the stumps.
From the day the rules of cricket were first drafted, umpires have been told to give batsmen the benefit of the doubt. That is how it should be and it should be the same when the decision is referred to the third umpire.
The ICC need to redraft the rules on the referral, or scrap it altogether and let the umpires get on with the job of umpiring.
I was on the brink of adding this to the site when yet another decision was referred and yet again a wrong decision was made. This time it was not the fault of the system, but the fault of the third umpire and the standing umpire. On-field umpire Aleem Dar deemed Brendan Nash was not out lbw to Graeme Swann, but England opted to refer the decision. It should immediately have been given not out as there was doubt as to whether the ball would have hit the stumps.
It is not clear what the conversation was between Harper and Dar, but they came to the wrong decision and as soon as Nash began his walk to the pavilion, hawkeye was used and suggested the ball would have gone over the top.
The umpires are possibly as confused as the players and spectators, which is evidence enough for the ICC to go back to the drawing board.