The International Cricket Council (ICC) have confirmed on Wednesday (August 05) that the front-foot no-balls will be exclusively monitored by TV umpire in the three-match Test series between England and Pakistan.
The system was earlier introduced in the recently concluded England- Ireland series which kickstarted the ICC World Cup Super League. Last year, the BCCI successfully implemented it in the ODI series against West Indies.
Even the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020 relieved the on-field umpires, and the overstepping no-balls were shifted to TV umpire’s jurisdiction.
But, the England- Pakistan series will be the first instance where third-umpire will be calling the front-foot no-balls in the traditional format of the game.
“Front foot no-ball technology to be used in ICC World Test Championship series featuring England and Pakistan, with the support of both teams. Performance of the technology in these Tests will be reviewed before any decisions taken on its future use in Test cricket,” ICC wrote on their official Twitter account.
Front foot no ball technology to be used in ICC World Test Championship series featuring England and Pakistan, with the support of both teams. Performance of the technology in these Tests will be reviewed before any decisions taken on its future use in Test cricket. pic.twitter.com/9j9N9Jows2
— ICC Media (@ICCMediaComms) August 5, 2020
The demand for this approach got intensified after the on-field umpire missed a whopping 21 no-balls in just two sessions on the second day of the Australia-Pakistan Test in 2019.
In one instance in 2016, the Australian batsman Adam Voges survived an umpiring howler from Richard Illingworth when the latter incorrectly punished Doug Bracewell for overstepping. Voges was on seven when Bracewell uprooted his stumps, and he went on to score a double century, courtesy a horrific blunder from Illingworth.
There’s no doubt the latest development will reduce such ominous errors.
Meanwhile, the Test series between England and Pakistan gets underway from August 5 at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Here’s the full schedule:
- 1st Test: August 5-9, Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester at 10 AM GMT
- 2nd Test: August 13-17, Venue: The Ageas Bowl, Southampton at 10 AM GMT
- 3rd Test: August 21-25, Venue: The Ageas Bowl, Southampton at 10 AM GMT
