World Cup to act over Ashes camera fiasco (17 January 1999)

17 January 1999

World Cup to act over Ashes camera fiasco

By Simon Hart

SQUARE-ON cameras could be introduced for this summer's World Cup in an attempt to avoid the third-umpire controversies that marred the recent Ashes series in Australia.

With just four months to go until the tournament gets underway, the England and Wales Cricket Board have confirmed that they are in negotiation with the South African company who supply the necessary equipment.

The move follows a spate of disputed third-umpire decisions in recent months, including the run-out reprieve for Australian opener Michael Slater in the final Test in Sydney which effectively killed off England's hopes of squaring the Ashes series.

The ECB are in talks with Pretoria-based video consultants Avpro 2000 Systems, the leaders in the field of third-umpire camera technology, and both parties are confident an agreement can be reached in time for the opening match in May.

Michael Browning, the World Cup event manager, said: "Avpro approached us a while ago about the possibility of providing cameras across all our venues and, frankly, while the system is great we felt at the time there was too much expense involved.

"However, given what has happened in Australia in the last month or so, I am going to see if we can come to some arrangement."

He added: "Obviously, we want to ensure that decisions are absolutely fair and are seen to be absolutely fair, so it all comes down to whether we can strike a deal that is right for the World Cup."

Lord's already has permanent fixed cameras and Avpro say a further four portable systems would be required to cover all 42 World Cup matches, though the ECB believe that may be a conservative estimate given the complications posed by rained-off matches.

Each system comprises four square-on cameras and four video-tape machines overseen by an operator and a back-up technician. The overall price is thought to be between £200,000 and £500,000, though the ECB are currently looking for a sponsor to offset the cost. The sponsors would have their logo projected on to the television screen each time a decision is referred to the third umpire.

Without the specialised equipment, third umpires would be forced to rely on television replays provided by the host broadcasters, the BBC and Sky, but the controversies in Australia have shown that such an arrangement can be unreliable.

Avpro spokesman Bill Burrow, who is leading the negotiations, said: "After the things that happened in the Ashes series, it proves that the existing television cameras are only about 60 per cent accurate. It shows that when it comes to the World Cup, a big team like England, Australia or South Africa could be knocked out unfairly because of an inaccurate decision."

South Africa have been the pioneers of third-umpire technology and have used fixed cameras, sponsored by electronics giant Panasonic, in Test matches since 1992. There are even moves to introduce what has become known as the 'Pana eye' to the domestic four-day game.

However, outside South Africa the international game has been slow to take up the new technology due to disagreements over whether it is a matter for the cricket authorities or the broadcasters.

Significantly, the system was used during the Commonwealth Games last year where, in the non-televised games alone, a total of 60 referrals were made to the third umpire.

Mike Demaine, senior cricket producer for the South African Broadcasting Corporation, said the system had been proved to be a highly successful aid to third umpires in home Test matches and it was time for the International Cricket Council to take a lead and introduce it worldwide.

"It is crazy to have it in South Africa and not in the rest of the world," he said. "It has been very frustrating for me, and I think it would be incredible if the World Cup went ahead without such a system."

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)