NEW ZEALAND and the West Indies will become the latest sides to trial the umpire decision review system.

The International Cricket Council, the sport's world governing body, conducted an experiment with the system during the three-Test series between Sri Lanka and India in July-August this year.

The challenge system allows each side three unsuccessful appeals to the umpire in an innings to change a decision if it is perceived to have been incorrect.

Players can refer decisions made by the on-field umpires on whether or not a batsman has been dismissed, with the exception of timed out, to the video umpire.

Final decision

The video umpire will review available television coverage of the incident before relaying a decision back to his colleague for a final decision.

New Zealand Cricket umpires manager Rodger McHarg said the Test series between the Black Caps and the Maroon Caps will be the second in a series of trials in which eight of 10 Test nations will play under the experimental rule.

"I can say that earlier indications are very positive in terms of improving the overall correct percentage of decision-making rate," McHarg said.

Human frailty

"Umpiring is all about getting as close to 100 per cent as possible. Human frailty tells us that is probably not achievable."

With the aid of technology, the worst umpiring decisions should be eliminated under the challenge system, he said.

For the first Test between the two sides in Dunedin, English umpire Mark Benson will be the video umpire with experienced South Africa's Rudi Koertzen and Indian newcomer Amish Saheba making the final calls from the middle.