Call for ICC to rethink on funding on DRS

Players pitch in for the countries who cannot afford the use of technology.

Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez, centre, says not having technology puts a lot of pressure on the umpires.

Rivals Pakistan and Sri Lanka united yesterday to demand mandatory video technology after several umpiring mistakes in their first Test, placing themselves in opposition to India's powerful board.

The Decision Review System (DRS), which uses ball tracking and thermal imaging to verify umpires' decisions, was recommended for mandatory use by cricket chiefs on Monday, subject to member nations financing the technology.

But Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, said yesterday he wanted the international body ICC to pay for the technology if individual boards, such as his own, cannot afford to fund it.

"The ICC must take it upon themselves to fund the system for the boards which cannot afford to, instead of leaving it to them to decide whether they use it or not," Jayawardene said.

"I have always been a fan of the DRS. It might not be 100 per cent technology, but if we can use it to get the maximum number of correct decisions, it will help the umpires as well."

The Galle Test, which Sri Lanka won by 209 runs, was marred by at least 12 contentious decisions by umpires Steve Davis, of Australia and England's Ian Gould with Pakistan suffering the most.

DRS is not being used in the three-Test series, reportedly because of the cost.

The ICC's executive board will consider a recommendation by its chief executives' committee to make DRS mandatory at meetings in Kuala Lumpur over the next two days.

The ICC had previously made DRS mandatory for all series, but changed its stance last year following objections from the influential board in India, which accounts for the biggest share of global cricket revenues.

Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan's captain in Galle in the absence of Misbah-ul-Haq, said the uncertainty about the video referral technology should end.

"One thing I want to say is that it is time for the highest authorities to make a decision about the DRS," Hafeez said.

"It should be made compulsory for every game.

"I feel as a player, not having the DRS puts a lot of pressure on you and that pressure goes to the umpires. If this technology can improve the game, then why not?

"The authorities should either go for it, or not at all."

Dav Whatmore, the Pakistan coach, had earlier slammed the selective implementation of the DRS, which Sri Lanka Cricket used in the previous home series against England but not in the ongoing one.

"It does not seem right to me that you have it for one series and not for another," said Whatmore, a former Sri Lankan World Cup winning coach.

India has been suspicious of the review system since making a number of unsuccessful referrals during the 2008 Test series with Sri Lanka, when the technology was on trial.

India's cricket board said in a statement its stance on the system remained "unchanged", arguing that it was "not foolproof".

India cannot veto a decision by the full ICC board to make DRS compulsory. But it does enjoy outsized influence thanks to the money it has generated in the world game, in part owing to the success of the Indian Premier League.

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