CAPE TOWN: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has commissioned one of the world's leading technology institutes in an effort to achieve a uniform decision review system.
ICC chief executive David Richardson told journalists in Cape Town on Tuesday that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has been asked to report by May on the various systems in place around the world.
“In particular they are looking at edge detection and ball tracking,” said Richardson.
“Their findings will be discussed at our meetings in June and the aim is to achieve a uniform system with the agreement of all the Test-playing countries.”
Richardson said the technology issue was one of four priorities for the ICC in 2016. A major priority is to give context and meaning to bilateral series, in particular Test series.
Richardson has recently started a process of consultations with chief executives from Test-playing countries.
He was due to meet later on Tuesday with the chief executives of South Africa and England during the second Test between the two countries at Newlands.
Richardson stressed that discussions were at an early stage but said his personal view was that a Test league system, possibly with two divisions, could be considered.
The other priorities are to have a successful World T20 tournament in India in March and April and 'Project USA' to unlock the potential of cricket in the United States.
“There are more people playing cricket in the USA than Zimbabwe and about as many as New Zealand,” said Richardson.
“There are about 80 leagues but it is very fragmented. The USA Cricket Association is currently suspended from the ICC and we have put in an advisory group in an effort to get cricket on a sound footing in America.”
Richardson revealed that there had been an exploratory meeting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to discuss the possibility of cricket being part of the Olympics.
“The IOC would want a proper format of 11-man cricket, such as T20, and they stress that cricket must be united in wanting to be in the Olympics,” said Richardson.
Richardson said the earliest cricket could be in the Olympics would be 2024 but for that to happen there would need to be agreement soon.
