There is this anecdotal quote about Sir W.G. Grace: During the course of match the umpire gave him out when he hardly put up few runs against his name on the scoreboard. The crowd became furious, and Sir Grace had to walk up to the umpire and tell him that son the crowd had come to watch him play cricket and not to watch the decision making process of the umpire. May be ICC does not want this thing to happen, as there are quite a lot of snafu decisions being given by the umpires, and more so against the established players who command a legendary fan following.

Therefore it has decided that 'Hot Spot' technology would be added to the permitted decision-making aids at the disposal of the third umpire and a beginning in this regard has been made in the second and third Tests between South Africa and Australia. The ICC confirmed addition of one more arsenal to the quiver of the umpires to facilitate the decision making process. According to the ICC general manager - cricket David Richardson, the introduction of “Hot spot", would mean that the television official will have even more information at his disposal if he is called upon - via a request for a review - to assist the on-field umpires with a decision.

It indeed is a good development for the cause of the game, Richardson added. The referrals are being facilitated with advanced level of technological inputs on account of the third-umpire referrals controversy rearing its head in the recently concluded fourth Test between West Indies and England in Bridgetown, it owing to a succession of debatable lbw rulings.

'Hot Spot' was not available to Daryl Harper at the Kensington Oval, where it was the absence of 'predictive Hawkeye' from the third umpire's armoury, which was the main bone of contention.

How does it work?
'Hot Spot' indicates - using infrared cameras - the ball's exact point of impact with bat, pad, glove or ground. In case of LBW decisions it is indeed a crucial input that would help the game.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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