DRS will not be forced on India - Richardson

Dave Richardson: "The introduction of technology has
always been controversial".

Dave Richardson, the ICC's new chief executive, has said that India would not be forced into accepting the universal application of the Decision Review System (DRS). The BCCI has been the sole objector to making DRS mandatory in international cricket and the ICC's Executive Board decided not to put the issue to a vote on Tuesday.

In his first day on the job, as the successor to Haroon Lorgat, Richardson said that while the majority of players and umpires back the DRS to rule on marginal or controversial decisions, India could not be dragged "kicking and screaming" to comply. The ICC's failure to enforce the universal application of DRS means it will only be used in bilateral series when both national boards agree to it. 

"The point is that the BCCI need to make that decision for themselves," Richardson said at the close of the ICC's annual conference in Malaysia. "It's never good to take anyone kicking and screaming to do anything.

"The introduction of technology has always been controversial ... but, slowly but surely, that's changed and I think we're pretty much at that point where everyone is accepting, certainly at international level. 

"I don't think [the Executive Board's decision is] negative at all. We'll be seeing DRS used in the majority of series going forward and there would be no sense in forcing anything upon anybody." 

India's resistance to DRS stems from their 2008 Test series with Sri Lanka, when the technology was on trial. N Srinivasan, the BCCI president, has said that the system would only be supported when it was "100 percent error free".

Richardson said: "The bottom line is, the ICC board determines policy for the ICC going forward. I don't think my job will involve any special negotiations with India. A lot is made of that but there are ten full members and I think our task is a lot more simple and a lot more practical than these high-level talks you might imagine." 

As well as Richardson succeeding Lorgat, Alan Isaac, the former chairman of New Zealand Cricket, has taken over as ICC president for a two-year term, succeeding Sharad Pawar. The ICC has voted to make the presidency a ceremonial position from 2014, with power passed to the new position of chairman.

BCCI has its way, ICC board retains current DRS arrangement

The ICC said it would continue with the current arrangement
where the two competing countries in a bi-lateral series
decide on the use of the technology.

KUALA LUMPUR: The BCCI again had its way on the contentious Decision Review System (DRS) as the ICC board failed to ratify its universal application following India's strong opposition to the technology.

The ICC said it would continue with the current arrangement where the two competing countries in a bi-lateral series decide on the use of the technology.

ICC's Chief Executives Committee had recommended mandatory use of the DRS in Tests and one-dayers on Monday but it failed to ratify its universal application following India's opposition to the innovation.

"Whilst approving the recommendations of the CEC relating to the inclusion of Hot Spot cameras as part of the minimum specifications for the Decision Review System (DRS) and the amendment of the LBW protocols regarding the "margin of uncertainty", the ICC Board agreed to continue with the present arrangement where the two competing nations in a bi-lateral series decide on the use of DRS," the ICC said in a statement today.

The issue was discussed at the ICC's Executive Board meeting here last, which was chaired by outgoing ICC president Sharad Pawar, but was not put to a vote despite perceived support from most of the full member nations.

The motion for the universal application of the DRS was put to the Executive Board by the CEC on Monday, also through a "unanimous" non-vote, with the BCCI's opposing stance being noted and the matter not being put to vote.

The ICC Board, which had met on June 26 and 27 during the ICC Annual Conference week here, also came out with some other recommendations regarding promotion of cricket, the Danish Kaneria spot-fixing case and regulation changes of the 50-over format, among others.

The meeting was attended by the Board presidents of the 10 Full Member nations and three representatives of Associate and Affiliate nations, besides ICC vice-president Alan Isaac, outgoing Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat and ICC's principal advisor IS Bindra and Pawar.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka plead for DRS

Mahela Jayawardene said he wanted ICC to pay for
the technology if individual boards, such as his own,
cannot afford to fund it when they host touring teams

GALLE (Sri Lanka): Rivals Pakistan and Sri Lanka united on Tuesday to demand mandatory video technology after several umpiring howlers in their first Test, placing themselves in opposition to India's powerful board.

The Decision Review System (DRS), which uses ball tracking and thermal imaging to verify umpires' decisions, was recommended for mandatory use by cricket chiefs Monday, subject to member nations financing the technology.

But Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene said he wanted the International Cricket Council (ICC) to pay for the technology if individual boards, such as his own, cannot afford to fund it when they host touring teams.

"The ICC must take it upon themselves to fund the system for the boards which cannot afford to, instead of leaving it to them to decide whether they use it or not," said Jayawardene.

"I have always been a fan of the DRS. It might not be 100 percent technology, but if we can use it to get the maximum number of correct decisions, it will help the umpires as well," he said.

The Galle Test, which Sri Lanka won by 209 runs on Monday, was marred by at least 12 contentious decisions by umpires Steve Davis of Australia and Ian Gould of England, with Pakistan suffering the most.

DRS is not being used in the three-Test series, reportedly due to cost factors.

The ICC's executive board will consider a recommendation by its chief executives' committee to make DRS mandatory at meetings in Kuala Lumpur over the next two days.

The ICC had previously made DRS mandatory for all series, but changed its stance last year following objections from the influential board in India, which accounts for the lion's share of global cricket revenues.

Mohammad Hafeez, captaining Pakistan in Galle in the absence of Misbah ul-Haq, said the uncertainty about the video referral technology should end.

"One thing I want to say is that it is time for the highest authorities to make a decision about the DRS," said Hafeez. "It should be made compulsory for every game.

"I feel as a player, not having the DRS puts a lot of pressure on you and that pressure goes to the umpires. If this technology can improve the game, then why not?

"The authorities should either go for it, or not at all."

Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore had on Sunday slammed the selective implementation of the DRS, which Sri Lanka Cricket used in the previous home series against England but not in the ongoing one.

"It does not seem right to me that you have it for one series and not for another," said Whatmore, a former Sri Lankan World Cup winning coach.

India has been suspicious of DRS since making a number of unsuccessful referrals during the 2008 Test series with Sri Lanka, when the technology was on trial.

India's cricket board said in a statement on Monday that its stance on the system remained "unchanged", arguing that it was "not foolproof".

India cannot veto a decision by the full ICC board to make DRS compulsory. But it does enjoy outsized influence thanks to the money it has generated in the world game, in part owing to the Indian Premier League's runaway success.

DRS: Michael Vaughan wants firm ICC stance with India

Former England captain Michael Vaughan says the
International Cricket Council must take a firm stance
with India over mandatory video technology.

The ICC want the Decision Review System used in all international matches but the Indian Cricket Board is opposed.
"The BCCI continues to believe that the system is not foolproof," they said.
But on BBC Radio 5 live's Tuffers and Vaughan show, Vaughan said: "The ICC has to show authority and say to India this is happening, get used to it."
The DRS was first introduced in a Test match between New Zealand and Pakistan in November 2009 but it remains at the discretion of boards hosting matches, with both teams having to comply.
Sri Lanka opted to use the technology during their home series against England, but not for the current series against Pakistan, prompting criticism from Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore.
India refused to allow it for last summer's series in England, in which they failed to win a Test or one-day international, and are expected to dismiss it again when they host England for four Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 international from November-January.
But Vaughan said: "I think it works wonderfully well around all the different formats. England, in particular Andrew Strauss, have got used to it and is very clever with it.
"It's there to get rid of the blunder. Over time it has proven to be very, very good. India need to get with the real world and get on with it because they're ruining it.
"They are almost a little bit egotistical and saying 'you can't tell us what to do' and I think it's about time the ICC said 'you've got to listen to us because it's going to happen'."
"Sachin [Tendulkar] doesn't like it and Sachin is a massive player in the Indian dressing room and with the Indian hierarchy. He is probably telling them it's not good for the game and I guess they're just going what with he thinks."

ICC panel recommends mandatory use of DRS, BCCI opposes

NEW DELHI: Despite ICC's call for the universal acceptance of the Decision Review System (DRS), the BCCI on Monday refused to change its stand on the use of the technology, saying it was still not "foolproof".

ICC's Chief Executive Committee on Monday recommended mandatory use of the DRS in Tests and one-dayers.

The technology has been consistently opposed by the cricket's financial powerhouse and the influential BCCI on Monday said its stand remains unchanged.

"We wish to clarify that while the DRS was discussed at the meeting, the BCCI's stance on the same is unchanged. The BCCI continues to believe that the system is not foolproof," BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement.

"The Board also sticks to its view that the decision on whether or not to use the DRS for a particular series should be left to the Boards involved in that series," the statement added.

The CEC met as part of the ICC Annual Conference and "recommended to the Boards the universal application of the DRS after being satisfied with the technology enhancements provided by new Hotspot cameras and the results of the independent research on ball tracking conducted by Dr Ed Rosten, an expert in computer vision technology."

It also recommended that, subject to the Members' ability to finance and obtain the required technology, DRS should be mandatory for all Tests and ODIs.