The umpire’s call in cricket is a technique that allows for the making of more accurate calls while still keeping the human aspect in the decision process. Like most sports, cricket can be very confusing, and when technology is involved, it is even harder for casual fans to understand. Even the regular fans who watch cricket are bewildered by the umpire’s decision which usually draws strong feelings from both sides.
What is the Umpire’s Call in DRS?
The term umpire’s call came to be part of the cricketing vocabulary when DRS was put into use in 2008.
A player or a team can demand a review of an LBW decision or a caught dismissal. The on-field umpire then makes a TV-shaped box gesture, thus signalizing that the review is to be sent upstairs.
In the case of LBW decisions, the umpire’s call is taken into account. There are three areas in ball tracking that are critical in deciding whether the batter is out leg-before-wicket or not. Three reds mean you are out.
Pitching Zone – This is the first phase of ball tracking once the delivery is considered to be valid. Pitching is where the ball lands on the pitch, as the name indicates. It is called a ‘red’ whether it is outside of the stump or in line with the stumps. The third umpire does not need to go any farther and can declare it not out if the pitching is outside the leg stump.
Impact Zone – The impact zone is identified as the point of first contact between the ball and the pads. When the ball strikes the stumps it is considered red, while if it strikes outside the off stump or leg stump, it is ruled as not-out.
Wicket Zone – Ball tracking encompasses the last stage where the ball is predicted to hit the stumps. The wicket zone consists of the area between the stumps’ bases, the outer edges of leg and off stumps, and the top of the bails.
Umpire’s call is not an option anymore in the pitching zone since the technology can identify the exact place of ball pitching with great precision. The screen will display either green or red.
In the impact zone, the on-field umpire’s call holds if the technology is unable to clarify whether the ball first made contact with the pads in line or not.
The DRS is the hardest to use in the wicket zone. The ball-tracking system predicts the ball’s trajectory after it has hit the stumps. The image shown on the screen is just one of many possible predicted paths. Hence the rule of umpire’s call is justifiable.
Do teams lose their review because of an “umpire’s call” decision?
No, teams do not lose their review because of an “umpire’s call” decision.
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How Does the Umpire’s Call Affect the Final Decision?
The final decision has a lot to do with the umpire’s call, so its significance can not be underestimated.
Let’s take an example where if the technology shows that a batsman has been given lbw (leg before wicket), and the impact point is considered falling under the range of the umpire’s call, the on-field umpire’s initial decision prevails and the batter is ruled not out. In contrast, if the technology proposes the opposite scenario where the batter should have been declared not out but the umpire’s call range portrays that the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps, the batsman is ruled out.
The umpire’s call has a vital role to play in ensuring that decisions made in cricket are not only certain but also consistent. The system gives credence to the input of technology while at the same time keeping the authority of the field umpire. Though at times it might lead to very tight and disputed decisions, it is deemed to draw a line between the human influence and technology in cricket officiating.
