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| Sunday, 12 January 2003 |
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ICC to expand umpiring panel Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia... Melbourne, jan. 11 - It is likely that the International Cricket Council will expand its elite eight-man umpiring panel soon. It is the consensus that with so much of cricket being played, the panel of eight is too little, considering that there is so much pressure on the men standing in the middle. A decision to this effect would be made by April. This was a sequel to the poor umpiring by two neutral umpires - Russel Tiffin and Dave Orchard in the fourth and final Ashes Test between Australia and England at the SCG where England won. Tiffin and to a lesser extent Orchard were heavily criticised for several dubious decisions. David Richardson, ICC General Manager of Cricket while not directly commenting on the umpiring said that the umpires not performing won't be getting too much work Richardson added that they got some work to do to improving the standard of umpiring. The eight-man neutral panel was introduced last April to stand in all Tests. They are on two-year contracts. Tiffin stood in the Sri Lanka-Australia one-day Victoria Bitter one-day game and from the looks of it the Lankans were not satisfied with his umpiring. Towards the closing stages of this game the Lankan bowlers Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan appealed for several LBW decisions that were disallowed by Tiffin. Apparently Tiffin was upset by the criticism of his umpiring in the Tests and did not want to raise his finger in this game, fearing another round of criticism. While commentators have the benefit of technology to base their decisions, the umpires have only a split second to base and make their decisions. Australia skipper Ricky Ponting, expressed sympathy with the umpires saying they, like the players, made mistakes. Ponting said that an expanded panel could reduce umpire fatigue. Ponting added, "It's a high pressure game for players and umpires. It's definitely hard work for them now, only having eight umpires on that panel. I am sure the umpires are probably feeling that as well. An expanded panel will be welcome by all cricket-playing countries because it will help more umpires gain the vital exposure. |
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