LONDON, CMC:
FORMER WEST Indies captain Clive Lloyd, now a regular International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee, has urged cricket's authorities to make better use of television technology.
Lloyd believes umpires are making too many mistakes and the game's rulers should adopt innovations used by television coverage to help determine if batsmen are out.
"If technology will help, technology should be used," Lloyd said.
"There's a lot at stake in cricket these days and what matters is that we get it right. It's time to use technology to the full extent."
The 59-year-old Guyanese was speaking at the annual Sir Colin Cowdrey lecture on the MCC's spirit of cricket.
At present, umpires are only allowed to defer to technology to rule on close catches, line incidents and whether a ball has crossed the boundary rope.
But Lloyd believes the guidelines should be extended to include any contentious decisions.
HUMAN VS TECHNOLOGY
"How can it be right to ask an umpire to take a split-second decision based on his own eyesight and hearing while everyone else then judges that decision having made use of technology designed for the purpose?" Lloyd asked.
"Although we have some outstanding umpires on the international panel, the challenge of umpiring in today's conditions is greater than it's ever been and, speaking frankly, too many mistakes are being made."
South African official Rudi Koertzen, who is a member of the elite international panel of umpires, supported Lloyd.
"Players want the right decisions and if using technology can help us in that then I'm happy to use it," he said.
Lloyd also spoke out for Test cricket's minnows.
SERIOUS CONCERN
He expressed serious concern about the domination of the game by a few countries, leading to more and more no-contests.
"World cricket must decide whether it is to consist of occasional riveting battles between three or four super cricket nations like Australia, England and South Africa and one-sided, poorly-attended intervening series between the strong and the weak, or whether it's prepared to do what is necessary to build up the number of competitive Test-playing nations," he said.
Lloyd suggested that the sport's world governing body (ICC) should spread the funds to the lesser nations, to enable them to build sufficient infrastructure.
"The ICC should effect and oversee the equitable distribution of funds between developed and under-developed countries. Currently, countries such as my own West Indies are seriously disadvantaged and, as a result, infrastructure development and player development are falling behind.
"Despite individual exceptions, for sometimes great human character or talent overcomes all obstacles, there is a correlation between national economies and the performance of their sportsmen and women - it's inevitable.
"It means the strong helping the weak and if they do, they will strengthen the whole international game. If they don't, three or four countries will end up endlessly playing themselves - and everyone will lose patience with that," Lloyd said.
