New DRS rule for lbws is great news for bowlers
The new DRS protocol for reviewing not-out lbw decisions came into effect on September 22. Life is going to get harder for batsmen, and here's why
ESPNcricinfo staff
24-Sep-2016
The upshot
More batsmen are likely to be given lbw when the fielding captain asks for a not-out decision to be referred to the third umpire, under the new DRS protocol.
More batsmen are likely to be given lbw when the fielding captain asks for a not-out decision to be referred to the third umpire, under the new DRS protocol.
Why?
Because the amount of protection given to the on-field umpire's decision - 'the umpire's call' - has been reduced. So the fielding team has a greater chance of getting a 'not-out' changed to an 'out'.
Because the amount of protection given to the on-field umpire's decision - 'the umpire's call' - has been reduced. So the fielding team has a greater chance of getting a 'not-out' changed to an 'out'.
What has changed?
The zone in which more than half the ball must hit the pad for not-out decisions to be overturned has been increased. And the zone in which the ball-tracking projection needed to show more than half the ball hitting the stumps has also been increased. So the bowlers have a larger area in their favour, and batsmen - as well as the on-field umpires' decisions - are less protected than before.
The zone in which more than half the ball must hit the pad for not-out decisions to be overturned has been increased. And the zone in which the ball-tracking projection needed to show more than half the ball hitting the stumps has also been increased. So the bowlers have a larger area in their favour, and batsmen - as well as the on-field umpires' decisions - are less protected than before.
By how much has the zone increased?
Previously, for not-out decisions to be overturned, more than half the ball needed to hit the pad in line with a zone between the middle of off stump and the middle of leg stump, and from the bottom of the bails downwards. Now, the zone is between the outside of off stump and the outside of leg stump. The bottom-of-the bails limit has not changed.
Previously, for not-out decisions to be overturned, more than half the ball needed to hit the pad in line with a zone between the middle of off stump and the middle of leg stump, and from the bottom of the bails downwards. Now, the zone is between the outside of off stump and the outside of leg stump. The bottom-of-the bails limit has not changed.
And previously, for not-out decisions to be overturned, the ball-tracking projection needed to show more than half the ball hitting the stumps between the middle of off stump and the middle of leg stump, and from the bottom of the bails downwards. Now, the zone is from the outside of off stump and the outside of leg stump. The bottom-of-the-bails limit has not changed.
The increase in the width of the zone is about 3.8 centimetres: half a stump's width (1.9 centimetres) on either side.
How will this impact the game?
Under the previous DRS conditions, for a not-out lbw decision to be overturned, the ball needed to have hit the pad well in line with the stumps and the projection needed to show the ball pretty much crashing into the stumps. Now, for such decisions to be overturned, more than half the ball still needs to hit the pad in line with the stumps, but not as much as before, and more than half the ball still needs to hit the stumps, but not as centrally as before.
Under the previous DRS conditions, for a not-out lbw decision to be overturned, the ball needed to have hit the pad well in line with the stumps and the projection needed to show the ball pretty much crashing into the stumps. Now, for such decisions to be overturned, more than half the ball still needs to hit the pad in line with the stumps, but not as much as before, and more than half the ball still needs to hit the stumps, but not as centrally as before.
Expect to see more reviews of not-out lbw decisions, more on-field decisions being overturned and, in time, perhaps more lbw appeals being upheld on the field.