Review system improves umpiring, says ICC

International cricket chiefs said Monday they had issued guidelines to end controversy over the use of the Umpire Decision Review System at the World Cup but backed its use.

Ian Bell was given not out when it appeared the England batsman was out lbw on review during their tied match with India, escaping because he was a long way forward.

International Cricket Council (ICC) general manager David Richardson said while there had been no change in the UDRS for when a batsman is struck more than 2.5 metres from the stumps, guidelines had been issued to umpires.

The advice states that if the batsman is struck more than 2.5 metres from the stumps, the third umpire is to advise the on-field umpire to overturn a not out decision when some part of the ball is hitting the middle stump and the whole of the ball is hitting the stumps below the bottom of the bails.

"This is not a change in rules as some people have suggested but a broad guideline which we hope will bring a consistency to the decision-making," Richardson said.

The ICC said correct decisions had risen from an average of 90.18 percent to 97.82 percent thanks to the use of the UDRS system.

Richardson said the UDRS was working well at the World Cup.

"It is a fact that the number of decisions in this event is way above the normal average for ODIs. This is because of the type of wickets that prevail in the subcontinent where the bounce is often lower and where there is a greater amount of turn," he added.

"What it is demonstrating clearly is that the UDRS is helping umpires who are maintaining consistently high levels of performance."

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