Dubai: The controversial Decision Review System will be tweaked from next month to give teams two extra referrals per innings in test matches as part of a trial set up by cricket's governing body.
After seeing the recent Ashes series in England blighted by poor umpiring calls, the International Cricket Council reacted on Wednesday by announcing that a team's referral count will be topped up to two after 80 overs of an innings. Currently, sides are allowed up to two unsuccessful reviews per innings.
The trial starts on Oct. 1, meaning it should be in operation for the return Ashes series starting on Nov. 21.
The use of DRS was one of the key issues discussed at a meeting of the ICC chief executives' committee in Dubai on Monday and Tuesday, with both England and Australia having become increasingly dismayed by the perceived anomalies of the technology — particularly Hot Spot, whose thermal-imaging cameras are used to detect if the ball makes contact with the bat.
The ICC said it will be setting up a working group to consider the role of technology in umpire decision-making and to look at ways to better train umpires. It will also use independent assessors to decide whether Snickometer, which uses both sight and sound to determine whether a batsman has edged the ball, can be added to the list of approved DRS technologies.
"Snicko," as it's commonly called, is only used by TV networks covering matches.
The committee also said it will back umpires in their attempts to clamp down on slow over-rates and time-wasting, and also maximize playing time. All three things were issues during the Ashes series.
The proposals will be discussed further when the ICC board holds its fourth and last meeting of the year in London on Oct. 17-19.
