India, Lanka to look at referral system as an experiment

Colombo, Jul 16 (UNI) India and Sri Lanka have assured respect for umpires in the new referral system as both Anil Kumble and Mahela Jayawardene look at the referral of umpires' decisions more as an ''experiment'' than a challenge.

The referral system will be used in the Test series between India and Sri Lanka starting on July 23.

''We have to look at it as an experiment and nothing more than that,'' Sri Lankan captain Jayawardene said.

''This is not going to be used to challenge umpires over how they make their decisions. It is a case of looking at it and utilising it if we feel that a decision needs to be looked at again,'' he added.

Questions about referrals were made when the skippers held a joint media conference with coaches Trevor Bayliss and Gary Kirsten here yesterday.

Initially the referral scheme was to be used in the Test series in England involving South Africa.

But this scheme was turfed out by the England players, which didn't please the South African management at the time. Instead the ICC sought and received the blessing of India and Sri Lanka to trial it this series.

There was criticism of the scheme when it was tested in England a couple of seasons ago, but it was deemed a failure by the players and the umpires and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) dropped it.

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