Starc urges ICC to assume mantle of paying for the DRS system asking why one technology provider is not used across all matches.
In order to prevent the inconsistent decision-making that has been apparent in the Ashes series, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has questioned why the ICC does not fund the DRS technology in international cricket and feels that they should utilise a single vendor for all matches.
Tensions escalated during the Adelaide Test as both Australia and England voiced their dissatisfaction with a number of Real Time Snicko (RTS) decisions during the series.
On the second morning, match referee Jeff Crowe reinstated a review for England when Snicko’s suppliers, BBG Sports, acknowledged that operator error had resulted in an incorrect respite for Alex Carey during his first-day century.
On day two, there was another incident that resulted in Starc being heard shouting “Snicko needs to be sacked” over the stump mic.
Due to the blunder, the ECB and CA intend to press the ICC to reform its procedures and methods; a major topic of debate will be the host broadcasters’ need to pay for the equipment. According to Starc, the procedure must be centralised.
“I’m sure it’s frustrating for everyone, viewers, officials, broadcasters no doubt,” Starc said. “One thing I will say … I’m only going to speak for myself here, the officials use it, right? So why doesn’t the ICC pay for it? And why is it not just one [provider] across the board? Why don’t we use the same technology in all different series that’s going to perhaps create less confusion, less frustration? So that’s where I’ll leave that.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins was diplomatic, but did note RTS seemed to be different to UltraEdge.
“The one here seems a little bit different to sometimes what you get overseas,” Cummins said. “There’s always a few murmurs. You’re hoping that it matches up if you’re the bowling team. Sometimes you kind of just making sure that it’s all okay if you’re batting, even though you feel like you haven’t hit it. It sometimes doesn’t feel super consistent, but you just crack on whatever the umpire says.”