On the Edge #2

On the Edge #2

Welcome to another issue of ‘On the Edge’!
Featuring Neil Pickup and Liam Camps debating the hot topics in modern day cricket. This issue, Marc Robbins has been invited as a guest columnist to write Neil’s section.

TOPIC:- Umpires and Technology

PREMISE:
Over the years, there has always been controversy regarding seemingly erroneous umpiring decisions. Now, in this age of technology and mass television coverage, it is highlighted more so. The standard of umpiring has been at a general low over the past couple of years. Should there been a drastic overhaul and turn toward technology?

PRO (Liam Camps):
If we have the tools available, then why not use them? Man is entitled to mistakes, however, with some of such which have been made in the world of cricket over the past few months, it is clear that a solution must be reached as soon as possible.

Did the ball pitch on leg stump? Did the ball hit the bat before the pad? Did the ball hit the bat at all? All these questions can be safely answered by utilizing the motion replays and such which are readily available. Technology is so advanced, that the flight of the ball can be predicted, after it pitches, as to whether it will hit the stumps or not, why do we not use it then?

It depreciates the cricket when a team has their chances of winning, or even competing, snatched away by a faulty decision. The ICC got it right when they decided to further implement technology into umpiring last year during the Champion’s Trophy in Sri Lanka. The trial seemed to go well and the series was quite entertaining and competitive all the same.

I firmly move toward the easing out of human error and the easing in of fair decision-making. Looking at the current Test series between Australia and West Indies, I’m sure Lara, Chanderpaul, Smith, Hinds, Jacobs, Sarwan, Hayden and Langer will all agree with me.

ANTI (Marc Robbins):
Part of Cricket’s long-standing charm is the fact that the umpire is only human. Yes, so a few decisions may be incorrect, but without these decisions what would happen to World Cricket? For a start Australia’s dominance would increase, and that in turn would lead to more boring Cricket than we currently have. Boring Cricket means we lose the supporters of the future at a very early age, and without them Cricket would die.

I would also question how accurate this technology really is – In theory it is 100% accurate, but in some conditions no computer can model what the ball will do on pitching. If the ball is swinging, then no computer will know how much it truly is, and certainly I feel an umpire would be a better judge.

There is an argument for the “fact” calls to be referred, but how many times have you seen a decision that at first glance it looks like the umpire has made a bad call, but after 10 or 12 replays you realise that it was in fact spot on? Had it been referred then we would have had the whole game delayed for a minute or 2 for no real reason. A minute or 2 may not sound a lot, but with the current prevailing poor over rate around the world, each of these delays robs the spectator of more and more of what they paid to see.

In conclusion, although not averse to utilising technology, it must first prove to be, more accurate than and as quick as the man in the middle, and I’m sure Messrs Bird, Shepherd, Venkat and Taufel would agree with me!

Please send comments and topic requests to bugs@tstt.net.tt. All questions will be addressed in the next issue.


Posted by Liam