Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Faced by a barrage of criticism, the International Cricket Council Monday issued guidelines to umpires on the controversial 2.5m rule of the Decision Review System (DRS) related to lbws to bring about “consistency” in decision making.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had criticised the ruling which went against his team in the match against England in Bangalore Feb 27. India called for the third umpire to review the decision of umpire Billy Bowden to turn down the lbw appeal against Ian Bell.

The third umpire put the onus back on the field umpire as the impact of the ball on the pads was greater than 2.5 metre. Bowden stuck to his original decision.

In India’s match against Ireland Sunday, the third umpire ruled Irish batsman Alex Cusack lbw following an Indian review even though the impact of the ball on the pads was greater than 2.5 metre.

The guidelines issued by the ICC says that as per the rule 3.3 of the UDRS, if the ball is going to hit the middle stump despite the impact being larger than 2.5 metre the third umpire can declare the batsman out on a review.

When a batsman is originally given ‘Not Out’ for an lbw appeal, graphics are displayed when the distance from pitching to impact is less than 40cm and the distance from impact to the stumps is greater than 2.5m.

The new guidelines are:

(a) If both the 40cm and 2.5m graphics appear for the same delivery, the batsman will definitely remain not out.

If the “more than 2.5m” graphic appears without the 40cm, the third umpire will be informed by Hawk-Eye of the exact distance of impact from the stumps.

(b) If this distance is greater than 3.5m, the batsman will definitely remain not out.

(c) If this distance is greater than 2.5m and not more than 3.5m, the third umpire is to advise the on-field umpire to overturn a ‘not out’ decision when some part of the ball (as presented by Hawk-Eye) is hitting the middle stump and the whole of the ball is hitting the stumps below the bottom of the bails.

(d) If the ball is not hitting within the parameters outlined in (c) above, the batsman will remain ‘not out’.

For (c) and (d) above, the third umpire will make the judgment by viewing hawk-eye from above and side-on, and advise to the on field umpire the exact distance, view from side on and the on field umpire will actually make his decision based on this additional information provided by the third umpire, as set out above,” the ICC said.

“”It is not a change in rules but a broad guideline which we hope will bring a consistency to the decision making,” ICC general manager David Richardson said.

Richardson said the decision was made among the umpires and match referees for a consistent interpretation.

ICC also came out in defence of the DRS and revealed that correct decisions in the World Cup have risen from an average of 90.18 per cent to 97.82 per cent.

“It is a fact that the number of decisions in this event is way above the normal average for ODIs,” Richardson said.

“This is because of the type of wickets that prevail in the sub-continent where the bounce is often lower and where there is a greater amount of turn. What it is demonstrating clearly is that the DRS is helping umpires who are maintaining consistently high levels of performance.”