Bryan Waddle: DRS again a talking point

By: Bryan Waddle | Saturday, August 25, 2012 2:17 PM

It may be flogging a dead horse but my frustration is heightened when test match decisions are subjected to the poor use of technology or the lack of it.

Sadly, only the toothless ICC can solve the issue of India's rejection of the DRS. India seem happy to have TV referrals when it goes in their favour but don't trust it when it doesn't.

The dismissal of Ross Taylor on the second day was an example of this. The umpires referred an appeal for a catch to the third umpire - an Indian, hardly neutral, who despite no clear evidence that a catch had been fairly taken, adjudged Taylor caught. There is a strong argument that says there was clear evidence that the ball touched the ground, but such decisions should not be made on the balance of probability or benefit of the doubt, but on what is displayed on the technology screen.

No wonder Taylor and Daniel Flynn walked off watching a ground screen that never displayed anything contentious to the fanatical mob.

Flynn on the other hand was the victim of Indian refusal to accept the system that the rest of the cricket world has signed up for and poor umpiring guesswork when there was enough evidence to the contrary to say the ball would miss. Guess work isn't good enough. Deal in fact and don't adjudicate on the basis of the quality of the shot as has been the case in the past.

One Indian commentator said there was a difference between a review and referral, c'mon Sanjay, they're one in the same they, are both about getting the right decision using technology.

New Zealand has very little chance of winning this test and not much more of saving it if the weather holds up. They toiled hard to end the Indian innings and then surrendered with the bat, three of the five dismissals as soft as any in test cricket. It’s a familiar story and until the players are harder on themselves, hard on each other and the coaches are even harder on them to take responsibility it will stay in familiar territory.