Finger trouble

We are two tests into the series in Sri Lanka where Pakistan have been battling big time and are understandably demoralised. Sri Lanka on the other hand can be ecstatic with their performance and the subsequent series win.

Pakistan's dismal display aside, one additional aspect of the cricket we have witnessed so far concerns me greatly.

Let me state right off the bat that I fully understand the complexities of being a test umpire and the difficulties and challenges they face on a constant basis. Sadly, so far in this series, the umpiring standards have not been up to scratch. The arrival of the best around, Simon Taufel, will elevate the quality and his professionalism and excellence will permeate through the umpires' change room and raise the bar.

This current series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan is not being played under the experimental umpires review process. That process has now been suspended for international cricket whilst all the stakeholders fine tune the playing conditions for its introduction.

As of October the 1st the umpires will have the benefit of the players instigating further analysis prior to the final decision being inked in the score book. That move is a positive one and needs to be applauded in an endeavour to eradicate obvious mistakes. Cricket must move with the times and as technology has advanced the game as a spectacle, it is essential that it is also used when needed in the decision making process.

If there is anyone who is not convinced that this upcoming introduction is the correct one then a simple squizz at some umpiring statistics from the two tests completed so far in Sri Lanka should convince them. We have been keeping our own unofficial scorecard with regards to what will be sent for review as of about 10 weeks time. The stats are quite astonishing.

In the first test in Galle, by our count in the commentary box, we reckon that 12 decisions would have been reviewed and of those an amazing six would have been reversed. If that wasn't enough reason for concern our unofficial count for the second Test at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo was equally disturbing. We think that 10 decisions would have had player intervention and sent upstairs and that four of those would have been changed following further video analysis and scrutiny.

My question to you is: "How different would the outcome of these two tests have been if they were played after October 1st and therefore under the review system?"

My considered assessment is that such has been the dramatic implosion of the quality of Pakistan cricket, the results would still stand.

Rarely have we witnessed such collapses at this level.

However, in a normal encounter this number of exposed umpiring errors would almost certainly have altered the final results.

Roll on October the 1st.