Captains face query over sportsmanship conduct

Johannesburg - Although they have not been accused of ignoring the spirit of the laws, the International Cricket Council are to soon involve Test captains more by expanding the code of behaviour.

This emerged at the weekend as accusations grew that fieldsmen in both South Africa and England sides have been making "dubious appeals", which have in turn placed extra pressure on the umpires. ICC authorities took a dim view of the "increase in catch appeals".

Under Law 42 note 1 the captains are responsible for ensuring that "play is conducted within the spirit of the game as well as within the laws". The ICC code of conduct also places the fairness and spirit condition onus on the captains.

In recent years, since the use of TV technology was first brought in to judge line decisions, appeals for catches have been on the increase and last year, during the Durban Test, the South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher was accused of "claiming a catch" in the second West Indies innings.

Now the ICC, when the new law code in released, most likely in September, the fair and unfair play law is likely to be expanded to force the captains to play a more conciliatory role with the ICC redefining the code to include a possible "captain's charter" with the match referee being given more scope to deal with the so-called "cheats".

"Unsporting behaviour has no part in the game but it has been creeping in more an more in recent years," said Dickie Bird, the respected former Test umpire.

The Australia series against Sri Lanka on the Indian Ocean Island in September and October had a number of acrimonious moments while the more recent Australia and Pakistan series had also a number of incidents which left umpires under a cloud.

Umpires were being placed under what Brian Basson, the UCB director of umpiring, said was intolerable pressure and the players were attempting to take advantage through their excessive appeals.

It placed not only a question mark against the credibility of some of the players but also the genuine value of the TV technology available. It was for this reason that line decisions only were being considered in the SuperSport Series this season.