Rise of over 7% in correct umpiring decisions because of DRS

Bengaluru : The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday revealed that correct decisions in the ICC Cricket World Cup have risen from an average of 90.18 per cent to 97.82 per cent thanks to the use of the Decision Review System (DRS).

ICC General Manager ? Cricket, David Richardson said that the DRS was working well at the tournament and added: ?It is a fact that the number of decisions in this event is way above the normal average for ODIs.

“This is because of the type of wickets that prevail in the sub-continent where the bounce is often lower and where there is a greater amount of turn. What it is demonstrating clearly is that the DRS is helping umpires who are maintaining consistently high levels of performance.?

Richardson also clarified that while there had been no change in DRS for when a batsman is struck more than 2.5m from the stumps, there had been a decision among the umpires and match referees for a consistent interpretation.

Therefore it was agreed:

When a batsman is originally given NOT OUT, graphics are displayed when the distance from pitching to impact is less than 40cm and the distance from impact to stumps is greater than 2.5m.

These are the guidelines which have been given to the umpires.

(a) If both the 40cm and 2.5m graphics appear for the same delivery, the batsman will definitely remain NOT OUT.

If the ?MORE THAN 2.5m? graphic appears without the 40cm, the third umpire will be informed by Hawk-Eye of the exact distance of impact from the stumps.

(b) If this distance is greater than 3.5m, the batsman will definitely remain NOT OUT.

(c) If this distance is greater than 2.5m and not more than 3.5m, the third umpire is to advise the on-field umpire to overturn a NOT OUT decision when some part of the ball (as presented by Hawk-Eye) is hitting the middle stump AND the whole of the ball is hitting the stumps below the bottom of the bails.

(d) If the ball is not hitting within the parameters outlined in (c) above, the batsman will remain NOT OUT.

For (c) and (d) above, the third umpire will make the judgment by viewing Hawk-Eye from above and side-on, and advise to the on field umpire the exact distance, view from side on and the on field umpire will actually make his decision based on this additional information provided by the third umpire, as set out above.

Richardson said: ?This is not a change in rules as some people have suggested but a broad guideline which we hope will bring a consistency to the decision making.?