ISLAMABAD: The use of video technology could become mandatory in all international cricket matches after the issue is discussed during the International Cricket Council's annual conference next week. India is the only Test-playing nation which is against the use of the Decision Review System (DRS), with the other nine countries in favor of using video reviews in close decisions. The likes of England, Australia and South Africa's home broadcasters have the technology to enable DRS to be used, but it would be more difficult for the Asian nations to afford the requisite technology. The ICC's cricket committee has recommended that DRS should be used in all Tests as well as One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 series. There is a maximum of two unsuccessful reviews per innings in a Test match and the committee has recommended one unsuccessful review per innings in ODIs and T20s. The other items on agenda include a proposal to further study the introduction of day/night Tests; and whether a captain should be suspended after two slow over-rate breaches rather than the previous three offenses. The ICC will also consider changes in the format of 50-over cricket to revive the one-day game, which has been largely superseded by Twenty20. One suggestion is to use two balls in each innings — one from each end. Presently the ball is replaced after 34 overs. The other suggestion is that teams could take batting and bowling powerplays from the 16th to 40th overs. Other suggestions include removing limits on the maximum number of overs per bowler; no compulsory close-catchers; fielding restrictions in non-powerplay overs and the number of bouncers per over to be increased from one to two. The ICC has suggested these experiments should be introduced in domestic cricket before being tried in international games. The number of teams in the next 50-over World Cup, in 2015, is the other item on the agenda. ICC President Sharad Pawar had said in April that the 10-team format should be reviewed. “The president decided to reconsider it after the board had decided in Mumbai that it would be a full members-only World Cup which understandably didn't go down well,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. On top of agenda in the full ICC council meeting is a constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring free elections of member boards and avoiding undue government interference in the administration of cricket — in line with the regulations of other major sporting bodies. In countries like Pakistan the chairman of the cricket board is directly being appointed by the president. Another possible constitutional amendment is on the process for electing the ICC president. “The rotation system seems to be out of favor and there is a view from amongst the board that the best person should be nominated as the president,” Lorgat said. Pakistan and Bangladesh are likely to resist this move, as its their turn to nominate president and vice president. The meeting begins in Hong Kong Sunday with the ICC chief executives' committee meeting on June 26-27, followed by ICC executive board on June 28-29 before full council meets on June 30.
