Three neutral umpires for Tests

The ICC is all set to adopt the new policy of nominating all three "neutral" umpires from its two panels for all Test matches.

According to the Dubai-based sources in ICC, the present system of nominating two neutral umpires for Test series will be replaced by this new policy with immediate effect. The experiment was found successful when all three neutral umpires were tried out in Sri Lanka's last home Test series against India.

The concept is also to be discussed in a first three-day Umpires Seminar to be held in Dubai on October 8,9 and 10, it is also understood.

The umpires attending the seminar will also be guided about the Decision Review System (DRS), which comes into force from to-day(i.e. Octobe 1). In this system, which is to be implemented for Test matches only, the players will be allowed to appeal against an umpire's decision. To eliminate the "obvious error factor" from umpires' decisions, the DRS system is being tried out.

In order to give training to those umpires who would not be able to attend this seminar due to their postings in inaugural Champions League (CL) to be played in India and also co-hosted by Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa, another such seminar is scheduled to take place in Dubai on 26, 27 and 28th October.

The first Test series to be played under this new DRS system will be between Pakistan and New Zealand. Pakistan is hosting its "home" series against New Zealand, where three Test matches are to be played (November 24 to December 15). The next Test series in Australia against West Indies will continue to have three neutral umpires in three Test matches to be played between November 26 to December 20).

All three neutral umpires nominated for the Test series will be officiating on rotation basis in the Test matches. Thus the TV umpire will also get a chance to officiate on field in the same series and more exposure would be sought by them.

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