SLC to use UDRS for Aussie tour

Ravi LADDUWAHETTY

Sri Lanka Cricket will now use the Umpire Decision Review System for the forthcoming Australian tour of Sri Lanka, SLC Interim Committee Chairman Upali Dharmadsa told the Daily News last night.

Responding to a question as to why the decision to retract the original decision following news reports which quoted him as having said to that effect, he said: “There was no decision not to have the Umpire Decision Review System. “We were to have it from October 2011 and the delay was due to the issues of a sponsor. That was sorted out and therefore, we will be having the UDRS not only for Australian tour of Sri Lanka but for all future tours which will be played in Sri Lanka,”, he said.

He denied that it was a retraction of the decision. “ We were to have it anyway and it was only a matter of time,” he said

He also said that International Cricket Council CEO Haroon Lorgat had also implored him to implement the UDRS after the latest meeting of the Council and also in the light of the forthcoming England- India series also having the system.

“ Now it has become imperative for all the ICC member nations to have the system and we are also following the same line which is also for the betterment of the game, he said.

Commenting on the forthcoming Australian tour, he said that there were political elements here and overseas who tried their utmost to sabotage the tour, citing baseless political reasons those were not there but Cricket Australia had the good sense to proceed with the tour due to the excellent relationships that we have with Cricket Australia. “ For that matter,we have excellent relationships with all the Cricket Boards in the world,” Dharmadasa added. Asked for his sentiments on the Australian tour, he said that Sri Lanka should perform well having the home advantage with all the crowd support.

“We are also appreciative of the fact that the crowds have always been behind the team at all times, good and bad,” he added.

He said that the Sri Lanka team, played well in the just concluded England series despite the losses in both the Tests and One Day series and under the English weather conditions.

“Cricket is a game that you win some and lose some,” he remarked.