19 Nov 2009

New umpire system on track for Pakistan series

3:10 pm on 19 November 2009

The new referral system for cricket umpiring decisions will be used in the test series between New Zealand and Pakistan, which starts next week.

The series becomes the first on the international cricket calendar to use the controversial Umpiring Decision Review System (UDRS).

It allows the third umpire to use ball-tracking or other available technology to review decisions requested by players. Each team is allowed to make two unsuccessful player review requests per innings.

Players have been less than enthusiastic about the system while there has been a stand off between national boards and broadcasters as to who was going to pay for it.

New Zealand Cricket says it has reached an agreement with Dunedin-based company Animation Research Ltd to supply their Virtual Eye ball-tracking system.

India and Sri Lanka were suppose to use the system in their current series.

Chief executive Justin Vaughan says the system should be used consistently throughout the world, but this will take time as each board, and each board's relationship with its broadcaster, is different.

The first match in the series between New Zealand and Pakistan takes place in Dunedin on 24 November.