MCC backs Ian Chappell's call for ICC control on DRS

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has backed former Australian captain Ian Chappell's call for cricket's authorities to completely control the controversial Decision Review System (DRS).

According to Sport24, the DRS came under fire during England's dramatic 14-run win against Australia in the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge following third umpire Marais Erasmus overturning Aleem Dar's not out LBW verdict against England's Jonathan Trott, despite not having the full range of DRS replays available to him.

Australia also became incensed at the system after England's Stuart Broad was given not out, despite edging the ball to slip, because by then they had used up both their innings reviews.

Insisting that the DRS is fundamentally sound, the MCC panel, which is made up mainly of eminent former players, however, said that it agreed with Chappell on the fact that a further benefit would be the ownership of the DRS by cricket's governing body ICC rather than by television companies.

According to the panel, it was the poor implementation of DRS (at Trent Bridge) that led to the controversies, rather than the system itself, adding that problems in Nottingham occurred mainly due to basic human error.

Calling for the use of the DRS across all international matches, the panel further stated that with the DRS, more correct decisions are being made, adding that the DRS helps the umpires to bring about more correct decisions on the field and limits human errors in the game.

Stating that the DRS should be the sole responsibility of the cricket boards, Chappell advised them to pay for and operate everything that is required for the decision-making process, adding that television coverage is there only to provide entertainment for the viewers.

Chappell also argued that the referral system be scrapped, with decisions as to when to call upon DRS being a matter solely for the umpires, adding that this way, the umpiring standards could be raised and only the howlers, and not the 50-50 decisions, would be overturned.

India has long objected to DRS and, consequently, it plays no part in bilateral matches involving the Asian giants, the report added.