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| October 18, 2005 | Tuesday | Ramzan 13, 1426 |
Umpire opposes video technology
SYDNEY, Oct 17: Experienced South African umpire Rudi Koertzen voiced his opposition on Monday to expanding the use of video technology in cricket. Koertzen, 56, was one of the two match umpires for the Super Test between Australia and the World XI here, where the ICC experimented with an increased use of video to adjudicate appeals.
The Test saw a large number of referrals to the third or video umpire. But Koertzen, who has now officiated in 66 Tests since his 1992 debut, said umpires in the field should be left to make the calls.
“We all make mistakes and I think the players actually make more mistakes than the umpires do,” he said in a television interview before the start of Monday’s play.
“So they should leave it up to us to make the mistakes. We’ve got to live with that,” he said.
“That is only a trial. Who knows how far they’re going to take it? But hopefully not too far.”
But the experiment in cricket technology met with the tacit support of World XI and South Africa skipper Graeme Smith during the Super Test.
“Obviously, it’s worked because they made the right decisions,” Smith said after the opening day’s play, which saw three Australian batsmen given out by the intervention of the third umpire.
“Some looked out to the naked eye ... but as long as the obvious and right decisions are being made, then it’s doing its job,” Smith said.—AFP
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