JOHANNESBURG // Giles Clarke, the English Cricket Board chairman, yesterday called for the controversial Umpire Decision Review System to be scrapped as England slipped towards defeat in the fourth and final Test. Mark Boucher's 95 helped South Africa towards 423 for seven declared before England slumped to 48 for three, still 195 runs behind at the close of day three.
But a furious Clarke attacked the referral system after the TV umpire Daryl Harper made another mistake. Harper overturned Tony Hill's decision to give AB de Villiers out on 11 despite appearing to glove Graeme Swann to James Anderson at leg slip. De Villiers made 47 more runs, leaving Clarke incensed, especially with Graeme Smith also let-off by Harper on day two. "You can't have a referral system when you have not even got the technology," he raged, prompting the International Cricket Council (ICC) to conduct a full investigation into reviews.
"It's all very well saying we should have better decisions but we cannot be precise about who makes the final decision. It is attacking the oldest principle in the game in that the umpire's decision is final." England failed to "win back" the referral they lost after Harper's clear error against Smith, prompting Clarke to demand that further technology is used in future. He added: "Next summer when we have to use this blasted thing - unless I can get it reversed - we will have Hot Spot in England. Every-one will agree we cannot have this system without it.
"There's a big debate about the accuracy of Snicko but Hot Spot will provide assistance." Clarke was supported by England bowler Ryan Sidebottom, who took two wickets on his return, and the Proteas wicketkeeper Boucher. "If you're going to use the system, you need to use all of it or leave it to the two guys out there who can do a good job," said Sidebottom. "I'd like to see everything there including Snicko and Hotspot," backed up Boucher.
"But at the beginning of the series we were told they wouldn't be there so we were aware it could have gone up or down." sports@thenational.ae
