24 Mar 2010

Vettori still perplexed by umpire review system

10:43 am on 24 March 2010

The New Zealand cricket captain Dan Vettori says he doesn't want it to sound like sour grapes but he's struggling to come to terms with the vagaries of the umpire review system.

During the Black Caps ten wicket loss first test loss to Australia at the Basin Reserve, Vettori had an informal meeting with the match referee Javigal Srinath to discuss the decision that had Tim Southee given out caught behind, when the video replay showed a clear gap between bat and ball, and even the hotspot technology showed no evidence of a knick.

Vettori says he was told evidence had to be conclusive for a decision to be overturned.

He says the Black Caps felt it was conclusive one way and while the umpires' logic is understood it's hard to take at times.

Vettori still supports the review system which was inoperable at times because of unprecedented high winds at times at the Basin Reserve, but it still needs to improve.