'Technology is not always correct' - Miandad

The appeals system, as recommended by the ICC's cricket committee, continues to elicit contrasting views. More players, both past and present, have now joined the debate.

Javed Miandad, the former Pakistan captain, felt that a system where players are allowed to make a limited number of appeals to the third umpire would make a mockery of the game.

"This will complicate things. It basically sends a message to the umpires 'we don't have confidence in you,'" Miandad told Reuters.

"The technology is not always correct and there is no relevance between an umpire taking a decision in a fraction of a second and those later shown in slow motion."

The ICC, Miandad said, had introduced the super-sub rule in one-day cricket in a hurry and it had failed. He felt that top players should be consulted before any new regulations were introduced.

But not all players subscribe to Miandad's views. In fact another former captain and Pakistan wicketkeeper, Rashid Latif said, "It will help in sorting out leg-before decisions where there is an inside edge, or on catches that come off the pad."

While Miandad appreciated the umpire's role in adding to the glorious uncertainty of the game - the benefit of doubt sometimes favouring the batsman, at other times the bowler - Latif felt that one poor decision could change the outcome of a match and could affect a player's career.

Latif, along with Mahboob Shah, the former Pakistan Test umpire, was all for the use of technology, even urging for the introduction of electronic line calls for no-balls.

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, echoed Latif's views. "It will prove to be a good proposal," Inzamam told Gulf News. "There will be no chance of a flaw in a certain decision by using the third-umpire technology."

The executive board of the ICC is yet to approve the recommendations made by its cricket committee. If approved, then the appeals system will be tried out in the Champions Trophy this October. Its success in the Champions Trophy will determine whether it will be used in next year's World Cup in the West Indies.