Tony Becca
THE ICC Super Series featuring Australia and the World XI in a five-day contest and three one-day internationals takes place in Australia in October.
Despite Australia's plight in the Ashes series and the surprise exclusion of Pakistan's batting star Inzamam-ul-Haq from the World XI, cricket fans around the world are looking forward to it - even though many of them are against the five-day encounter being awarded Test match status.
In spite of all the hype surrounding the event, the series is all about marketing the game, it is all about making some money, that is why it is being played in Australia where, in the hope of seeing their team beat the rest of the world, the home team's fans will fill the stadiums, and regardless of the quality of the players involved, it should not be elevated to Test match status.
A Test match should be a contest between two countries, anything else is devaluing Test cricket, and even though the performance of a few of the teams now playing Test cricket is embarrassing, a Test match certainly should not be a fund-raising event between one country and the rest of the world.
Regardless of the reason or reasons for it, the Super Series could, however, impact on the future of the game, and if it does and does so positively, it will have served a purpose.
In recent years, more and more fans around the world have been clamouring for the use of technology in assisting umpires to make correct decisions and although the ICC has been allowing only limited use, it now seems ready to bow - to give the umpires as much help as possible.
RECOMMENDATION
Following on a recommendation by the ICC's cricket committee through the ICC's Chief Executives Committee, the Super Series will be used as a Test as far as the full use, or near full use, of technology and the third umpire are concerned.
During the series, in both Test and one-days, the on-field umpires will be able to ask the television umpire for assistance on a greater number of decisions.
Right now, run outs and stumpings are referred to the television umpire who makes the final decision. According to the ICC, however, the television umpire will be more involved during the Super Series - to the extent that the on-field umpires will have the discretion to consult with the television umpire for all other decisions before making the final decision.
According to the ICC, the only exception to this will be clean, obvious catches and that the reason for that should be obvious. That would simply be a waste of time.
Presently, the on-field umpires can only consult the television for clean, obvious catches when both of them are not in a position to see clearly what happened and that will remain so.
What this means, for example, is that when there is an appeal for leg before wicket the umpire, if he is uncertain, can ask the television umpire one or two or three questions.
THE RULE
With the rule stating that a batsman cannot be dismissed leg before wicket if the ball had pitched outside the leg stump, if the ball had touched the bat before hitting the pad, and if the batsman was hit outside the offstump while offering a stroke, the umpire can ask for an answer to those questions before deciding if the ball would have hit the wicket.
In an attempt to make the correct decision, this is good for the game, hopefully the Super Series will show that it is good for the game, and hopefully the ICC will introduce it for all Test matches and one-day internationals.
Remembering, however, that it is the discretion of the umpires to seek help or not to seek help, that the umpire may be so confident that he sees no reason to ask for help, and that because he does not use his discretion he could still make a wrong decision, after that there may be need for only more change.
The ICC should now look at allowing the batsman, the fielders and the bowlers a chance to ask the television umpire for help if a decision goes against them.
If the umpire, for example, gives a batsman out leg before wicket off the inside edge, if he gives a batsman not out because of an inside edge and the bowler is confident the ball did not touch his bat, and if he fails to give a low catch without checking with the television umpire an 'appeal' could be made.
Apart from a feeling that that may not be cricket, the ICC may well believe that such a move would waste too much time, and that could really happen.
Apart from the fact that both the batting and the fielding teams now waste a lot of time, that, however, could be controlled by penalties against the team that loses an 'appeal' to the television umpire.
In the interest of the game, the freedom of umpires to ask for help is a good idea. It still would not be fair, however, if someone is out and is given not out, if someone is given not out when he is out because the umpire, for whatever reason, fails to use his discretion and call for help.
