Third Umpire given bigger role by UCB (28 September 1998)

28 September 1998

TV's third umpiring eye gets bigger official role

Rodney Hartman

Television replays will play a bigger official roel when the new domestic begins this week. A new third umpire system will be used when Western Province play North West in the Standard Bank League match in Fochville on Friday.

The technology will assist the umpire in catching decisions - and not only for run-outs, stumpings and line decisions. A meeting of top umpires, officials and television executives reached agreement in Johannesburg as to how it will all work. this willonly be revealed once the provincial have given their expected approval to a move that will eradicate the poor umpiring decisions that characterised the recent test series in England.

the United Cricket Board's Ali Bacher said it was most important that the changes do not affect the ethos of the game. "We don't want a robot out there because we still want our quality umpires to come to the fore. But this new system will minimise or reduce umpiring mistakes."

The UCB will use the experiment in all domestic matches televised by SuperSport. It is also hoped that non-international matches involving the West Indies touring team will be handled in this way. According to Rudi Koertzen on the panel of umpires at the Commonwealth games, most of his international colleagues favour techological assistance.

Source :: Sunday Times