Is the ICC pussy footing on issue of origin of UDRS?

Elmo Rodrigopulle

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that it is conducting what it says is ‘an independent and comprehensive investigation’ into the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) following a high profile error in the recently concluded fourth Test match between England and South Africa this month.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith was given not out when TV umpire Daryl Harper watched a replay of him edging the ball without the volume switched on.

Smith then on 15 runs took advantage of the reprieve to score a century. South Africa won the Test match. England protested at a glaring error on the part of the third umpire. ICC has responded with a public announcement of a full scale inquiry into the workings of the UDRS.

A folder

In early December last year Nishantha Ranatunga, Hony. Sec. of the Interim Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) attended a meeting of the Chief Executives’ Committee (the highest governing body) of the ICC in Dubai, and tabled at this meeting a folder with a request from SLC that the claims made by Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna seeking recognition for authorship of the Umpire Referral Rule (basic elements of UDRS) be investigated.

Though the item was not mentioned on the Agenda of the meeting, it may have been raised under ‘any other business’.

Contents

The meeting decided to look into the claims and the folder was handed over to Dave Richardson, Chief Executive (Operations) who had assured Nishantha Ranatunga that he will contact both the SLC and Senaka Weeraratna directly once he has had a look at the contents of the folder.

Over one and a half months have elapsed since this meeting yet there has not been any written acknowledgement or a press release from Dave Richardson or the ICC of the receipt of this claim and that the matter was under investigation by the ICC.

In the absence of any official statement from the ICC on a matter that may eventually result in international honour and glory to Sri Lanka and the author of the concept, various explanations are possible. It would be sad if the view gains ground around the cricket world that the ICC controllers are biased and treats lightly the innovations and intellectual contributions of cricket lovers of non – European origin.

Important

It is important to bear in mind that the very same David Richardson who visited Sri Lanka in August 2008 to witness the inaugural Test match (between Sri Lanka and India) at the SSC grounds that first applied the Referral Rule on an experimental basis, was handed over a folder containing the claims of Senaka Weeraratna, by Ronnie Guneratne (SLC executive) at the request of Duleep Mendis (Chief Executive, SLC). Ronnie Guneratne fixed an appointment for Richardson to meet Weeraratna the very next day to discuss this subject. Richardson failed to keep that appointment.

Richardson took the folder with him back to South Africa (his native country) and never gave a feedback to either Weeraratna or the SLC. It is the very same Richardson who has been given a folder with similar contents (by Ranatunga) nearly one and a half years later. Yet there is no word from him.

Being a former Test Cricketer (for South Africa) and now a top Cricket administrator of the ICC, we would like to think that he is above ‘apartheid’ type prejudices against non – Europeans and their achievements.

But if he continues to remain silent or treats lightly the claims of Sri Lanka for recognition of authorship by one of its nationals in respect to UDRS, then he has no one but himself to blame for his dereliction of duty and the resulting negative impressions being formed of him.

In the final analysis, it must be noted that there is a Sri Lankan dimension in respect to the making of the UDRS and the ICC is institutionally and morally bound to give recognition to it.