Prior backs role of on-field umpires
Matt Prior has offered his support to the on-field umpires during the current trial of review technology as the players continue to come to grips with the new system
Andrew McGlashan in Jamaica
06-Feb-2009
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Matt Prior, the England wicketkeeper, has offered his support to the
on-field umpires during the current trial of review technology as
the players continue to come to grips with the new system. Tony Hill
and Rudi Koertzen were at the centre of the action on the second day
between England and West Indies at Sabina Park, with both sides
gaining and losing from the third umpire.
This is the third series to be part of the trial, following the
previous contests between India and Sri Lanka then New Zealand and
West Indies. Devon Smith was given out lbw to Andrew Flintoff after
Hill, the on-field official, had originally declined the appeal, while
Ramnaresh Sarwan was reprieved after Hill had initially given a
positive decision in Steve Harmison's favour.
"I think a lot of the players have some sympathy with the guys
[umpires] because they are making tricky decisions," Prior said.
"We've just had an afternoon of having to try and make decisions in a
split second and it's not easy. Everyone makes mistakes, players will
make more mistakes than umpires in a day's play. If an umpire makes a
mistake it's not because they are trying to. If the decision is
changed then so be it."
Five decisions were reviewed during the second day's play and all in
the space of 12 overs. The most controversial of those was Sarwan's
overturned lbw when on 5, with replays showing the ball would have
clipped the top of the stumps.
"Harmison's one with the use of Hawk-Eye looks like it is hitting the
top of the bails which is out," Prior said. "So from that point of
view you can get a bit frustrated. But it's not easy. The third umpire
is making a guess decision as much as anyone else. If you are trusting
Hawk-Eye to track the ball three-quarters of the way or longer, then
why not all the way. "
As a wicketkeeper, Prior will often be in the thick of the action when
reviews are asked for, although he said that he can only be of so
much use to Andrew Strauss when the ball is swinging "A lot of people
would say that the keeper has the best view but that's not always the
case," he said. "We had a couple where the ball was tailing into leg
stump and you lose the line.
"From my own point of view it's very much an instinctive call. You see
it and you either feel it's out or you don't. But when a decision like
the Steve Harmison one is given not out you almost start
second-guessing yourself a little because I thought that was pretty
close."
Sarwan admitted he was grateful for his escape but said that West
Indies remained unsure about the system following their first
experience of it on the recent tour of New Zealand. "In our team not
too many guys are keen on it. It kind of takes the umpires out of the
game. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes not, we have to realise
that everyone is human and makes mistakes and that is something that
you need to understand."
One of the issues that came to the fore was the time it takes to make
the decisions, which was an original concern about the further
introduction of technology. The system has already been tweaked by the
ICC to reduce the number of reviews down to two per team, per
innings, and the stoppages in play will need further monitoring.
"Do you sacrifice that to make sure you get the right decision?,"
Prior said. "There is a huge amount at stake at the minute and big
decisions have to be made. Traditionalists will say it does take quite
a bit of time out of the game, and why shouldn't the umpires have the
right to make their decision as they always have done?"
Andrew McGlashan is a staff writer at Cricinfo