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The International Cricket Council is going to
experiment with earpieces for the men in white coat
during the forthcoming Champions Trophy in England
in the month of September . It will help them to
pick up audio from the stump microphone so as to
judge them to hear bats snicking deliveries . With
the ICC bringing about constant changes so as to
make effective use of the technologies available at
hand , it is indeed interesting to peep into
details of similar metamorphosis which took place
in international cricket over the last decade
*No ball and match referee : The opening
test match between India and Australia at the
Woolloongabba Stadium in Brisbane in 1991-92 season
, witnessed Manoj Prabhakar becoming the first
bowler to be no-balled under new ICC legislation
prohibating more than one bouncer at each batsman
in the same over . This was also the first test
match to be played under the jurisdiction of a
referee appointed from the ICC panel .former
England captain Mike Smith being the first to hold
this office .
*Third umpire : England's Dicky Bird , the
first umpire to appear under National Grid's
sponsorship , equalled Frank Chester's record by
officiating in his 48th test during India-Zimbabwe
one-off test match at Harare during 1992-93 season
. The two local umpires - K.Kanjee and Ian Robinson
- stood on alternate days during five-day match .
*First third umpire verdict : The opening
test match between India and South Africa at Durban
during 1992-93 season , was the first in which
television replays monitored by a third umpire off
the field were called upon to adjudicate in line
decisions . Sachin Tendulkar becoming the system's
first victim . However , in the very next match at
Johannesburg , Jonty Rhodes , when on 28 and then
eventually making 91 , was fortunate to escape
being run out when West Indies' Steve Bucknor
refused to call for the third umpire verdict on a
replay which showed him to be out by at least six
inches .
*Lbw decision by the third umpire : The
early stages of the ICC Champions Trophy in Colombo
in 2002 were dominated by technology , as
Pakistan's Shoaib Malik became the first victim of
an lbw decision deferred to the third umpire . The
frequent requests for arbitration did slow the game
down , but it was worth it when glaring gaffes were
avoided . The experiment largely worked properly .
However , after the tournament , the ICC announced
that the use of technology would not be extended :
lbw decisions would revert to being a matter solely
for the on-field umpire . With technology playing
such an important role - in judging run outs ,
stumpings , clean catches , boundary and over
boundary runs , hit - wickets - whenever referred
by the men in the middle to the third umpire who is
equipped with all gazets at his disposals , it now
remains to be seen what more changes are
incorporated in the armoury of umpires . |