England's fast bowler Andrew Flintoff (centre) celebrates after it was ruled the West Indies' Devon Smith was out leg before wicket on the second day of the first cricket Test match at Sabina Park. The decision had gone to the third umpire under the new referral system. - AP
West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan might not be too enthused about utilising technology through third umpire referrals to certify decisions in Test cricket.
However, he was a major benefactor yesterday - not once, but twice and it proved significant as along with captain Chris Gayle, the right-handed number three batsman led their team to a solid 160-1 in reply to England's first innings total of 318, on the second day of the first Test in the Digicel Home Series at Sabina Park.
Sarwan closed the day unbeaten on 74 after surviving a couple of referrals early in his innings - when he had only scored two runs, then after scoring five - off the bowling of fastmen Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison, respectively.
Umpire's decisions
In the first instance after Sarwan was struck by a Flintoff delivery which appeared headed down the legside, the England team had the decision referred to third umpire Daryl Harper, who ruled in favour of the batsman.
Shortly after, Hill ruled in favour of the English team to an lbw appeal when Sarwan was struck on the pad by a delivery from Harmison.
This time, Sarwan challenged the verdict and won on the basis of video evidence, which suggested the ball was too high and would have passed over the stumps.
"I felt the pain from the impact of the ball in my knee and I asked Chris (Gayle) how it looked from the other end and he said, 'it was a bit close'," Sarwan told the media at the post-game press conference. "So, I had doubts in my mind and asked for it to be checked."
Pointing to the just-concluded tour of New Zealand when they had their first experience with the system, Sarwan added: "I'm not a big fan of it. We played in New Zealand with it and it was a bit confusing. But I'm really and truly not a big fan of it, but today I'll take it."
Continuing, the Guyanese batsman said: "I just think it kind of takes the umpires out of the game ... it's only human and everyone makes mistakes and that's something we need to understand. It's one of those things.
"It works both ways, it tends to even out at the end of the day. If there's any doubt and there's a 50-50 position, then I guess you can challenge it. Decisions tend to even out, whether it's the right side or the wrong side," noted Sarwan, the former West Indies skipper.
Other challenges
His two numbered among five referrals on the day. The other three went against England batsman Harmison and Monty Panesar unsuccessfully challenged lbw decisions against Jerome Taylor and Sulieman Benn, while West Indies opener Devon Smith, after initially not being given out lbw for six to Flintoff, saw the decision overturned by Harper off the bowler's challenge.
"I didn't get a great view of that. Fred (Flintoff) felt pretty strong about it, so he made the call," noted England's Matt Prior.
The wicketkeeper noted the referral system was new to his team and called it "strange" and "tricky".
"It's very strange ... something we're doing for the first time and it takes a bit of getting used to," explained Prior, his team's second-highest top scorer with 64.
"I think if you're going to refer decisions, you've to make sure when decisions are referred you come out with the correct decisions. I think that's the major point about it.
"It's pretty much an instinctive call - you see it and you either feel it's out or you don't really. But when you see the decision's not given out, you almost second-guess yourself a little bit ... . It's quite tricky," he added."
Continuing, he said: "The third umpire's not allowed to use Hawkeye, so he's making a sort of guess decision as much as anyone else. It does take a while. Do you sacrifice that to make sure you get the right decision? I suppose there's a bit of balance there."