2011 World Cup: ICC green signal for umpire review system

SINGAPORE - The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to use the Decision Review System (DRS) during the 2011 World Cup, jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, in consultation with its broadcasters.

Following recommendations from the ICC Cricket Committee and minor amendments from the Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC), the ICC board here approved 13 recommendations relating to the use of DRS in Test matches and the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

“It was also agreed that DRS would be used in the ICC cricket World Cup 2011 if agreement can be reached with the ICC’s broadcast partner ESPN STAR sports, the host members (Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka) and if there is sufficient technology available to operate DRS in a global event.”

“One of the decisions is that the host member would determine whether to use DRS in home Test series (following consultation with the visiting country),” ICC said in a statement Thursday.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said there was full agreement that technology would be used whenever possible.

“We have all seen the benefits of using DRS to assist umpires in Test cricket and we are now keen to use DRS in the ICC Cricket World Cup. We also acknowledge and we are grateful for the support provided by broadcasters and technology suppliers around the world during the development phase of DRS.”

The ICC also announced that the next Twenty20 World Cup will be held in Sri Lanka in 2012 while the 2014 edition of the event will be hosted by Bangladesh.

The ICC awarded the 2015 ODI World Cup jointly to Australia and New Zealand. The 2013 Women’s World Cup and the Champions Trophy the same year will be hosted by India and England respectively.

Among other important decisions, the game’s governing body said the number of participating teams in ODI World Cup could be reduced while it could be increased for the World Twenty20.

ICC gave a clean chit to Australian umpire Daryl Harper for makking erroneous decisions (DRS) in the Wanderers Test between South Africa and England in January.

“The preliminary findings of advocate Brent Lockie and ICC cricket committee chairman Clive Lloyd acknowledges that the technology failure at the time adversely impacted on the information received by the third umpire Daryl Harper while making his decision.”

“The ICC and the England and Wales Cricket Board agreed that the third umpire in the match, Harper, was entirely blameless due to this technical failure.”

A wide ranging discussion was held on ICC events programme post-2015; the frequency and format of ICC global events and qualification for those events and the introduction of Test and ODI leagues as a means of providing context to Test and ODI cricket and the principles of operating those leagues.

“Although we have made good progress, this exercise requires more work. We know there are exciting opportunities to protect and promote all three formats but we must exercise patience as we consider all aspects in introducing context and content in international cricket.”

“There is clearly an appetite from all quarters to examine the make-up of the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 and seek the best balance between excellence and development. In terms of the number of participating teams, it is possible that the World Cup could be reduced and the World Twenty20 expanded.” Lorgat added.

The ICC board also approved the revised rules with minor amendments to be agreed relating to the detailed “whereabouts” provision of the ICC anti-doping Code.