The Impact of New Technology in Cricket and other sports

The introduction of video technology into world sport was supposed to have purely positive effects.

Decision making in sports like tennis and cricket in particular has undoubtedly improved.

But unfortunately with every positive there seems to be a negative.

Cricket has always been played with a particular spirit and as a result has been labeled as ‘the gentlemen’s game’.

Batsmen were famous for walking when they knew they were out and umpires decisions were final and rarely questioned.

However, with the introduction of the Decision Review System (DRS) in the past year that spirit may soon be a thing of the past.

In theory the DRS is hugely beneficial to the game of cricket as it enables umpires and the on-field captains to refer to television replays and hawk-eye technology to check decisions which they believe may be incorrect.

In terms of accuracy it is unrivalled.

However, the recent Ashes Series in Australia exposed the downsides to this system as the authority of the umpires was continually undermined and questioned, and as a consequence, honesty that characterized cricket for so long appears to be a thing of the past.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting’s confrontation with umpire Aleem Daar at the MCG is a prime example of the effect that the review system has had on the game.

Ponting was furious that the DRS system had not given England batsman Kevin Pietersen out and as a result argued his case with the on-field umpire Aleem Daar. Confronting the umpire in an aggressive manner is almost unknown in test cricket but may well be a sign of things to come, as the review system does encourage players to question the decisions of the umpires.

Looking back on the past few decades, only Mike Gatting’s confrontation with umpire Shakoor Rana in Pakistan in the 1987 test series can be compared to Ponting’s outburst.

Former test match umpire Darrell Hair, who took charge of 78 tests worldwide, believes that the DRS system is undermining the authority and confidence of umpires and indeed ruining the spirit of the game.

“I cannot help wondering how much of a confidence dent will be left on some of our International Cricket Council (ICC) umpires when they continually have decisions overturned.

We have already seen Mark Benson, one of the best decision makers leave the game due to stress encountered when a couple of his decisions, made in good faith and to the best of his ability, were overturned on rather flimsy evidence,” the 58-year-old Australian explained.

“If the game is going to sap the confidence of umpires to that extent, where they cannot trust their own calls to be made on basic bread and butter decisions then the system has failed them,” Hair added.

Hair’s argument can easily be seen as ‘old school’ as he seems unwilling to accept cricket trying to take a step into the future. But there are many within the game who agree with Hair, none more so that legendary Australian bowler Glenn McGrath.

In an article explaining the pros and cons of the review system Hair gives details about a time when a review system was being trialed in a test match between Australia and the West Indies. McGrath trapped the West Indian batsman Brian Lara lbw, but Lara asked to have the decision reviewed. After a couple of minutes of television replays and analysis the decision was upheld and Lara was out.

However, McGrath was unhappy at the nature with which the decision was made. The bowler complained that he had just dismissed the best batsman in the world, but he had to wait two minutes for the decision to be ratified.

McGrath said it took away the spontaneity and euphoria of the moment.

As a result, Hair’s argument is not just confined to damaging the ‘spirit of the game’ and the confidence of umpires, but also taking the excitement and passion out of the game.

Hair concludes that the ICC should scrap the review system and simply support the umpires whom they employ to make the on-field decisions. You would arguably expect a former test umpire to have that opinion, but the points Hair makes are valid.

The International Institute of Cricket Umpires and Scorers (IICUS) are also suspicious of the introduction of the DRS into cricket.

The IICUS believe that the review system is contrary to the traditional laws of the game. Indeed ‘law 42.18 make it clear that umpires’ decisions are not to be criticised and players should never show signs of dissent’.

It now seems that the biggest challenge facing the ICC is the potentially damaging effect of allowing players to call for a technological answer by challenging an umpire’s decision.

Despite the apparent problems with the current review system in cricket, the use of video technology in rugby and even tennis shows that a balance is possible.

Video replay technology is regularly used throughout rugby matches, but unlike in cricket the authority of the on-field referee has not been undermined. Rugby is famous for the respect that players show for the referee, with referees being called ‘sir’ throughout matches, even though the referees’ decisions can be scrutinised by video replays.

Compared to the abuse most referees receive in football, the respect rugby referees are shown is a breath of fresh air. And most importantly, the introduction of technology in rugby has not had a negative effect on the relationship between players and officials.

This is the area that the cricketing authorities are struggling to find the answer to.

Maybe over time umpires and players will get used to the review system, and umpires will feel less undermined, and arguably threatened, by it and players will grow to accept the decisions given again.

In fairness it was always going to take time for the game to adjust to having video technology at its disposal.

Critically, the debate that is ongoing in cricket at the moment explains just why the governing bodies in football are so reluctant to introduce any form of technology.

Cricket fans must hope that the problems that have come with the review system can be resolved, because there is no doubt that as long as technology helps get decisions correct it has its place in the game, and indeed sport in general.

Images from BBC Sport Website and video from YouTube

This article is also available on AsktheExperts.org.uk