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Mitchell Johnson, Michael Clarke, Shane Warne critical of DRS

The DRS received more bad publicity at a time when ICC is trying to make amendments to it.

Perth: The much-discussed Decision Review System has come under the scanner once again. Days after Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) accepted International Cricket Council’s (ICC) proposal for a revised DRS, Australian cricketers criticised the system after Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith’s dismissals against South Africa at the WACA stadium, in Perth.

Marsh was adjudged leg before wicket after a DRS review, to hand South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada his fourth wicket of the innings. Rabada’s delivery was seemingly angling down the leg side.

However, the ball-tracking technology in the DRS system showed that Rabada’s delivery would have gone on to clip the leg stump.

Australia paceman did not mince his words on Twitter, as he let everyone know what he felt about DRS.

mitchell johnson drs

Former Baggy Green skipper Michael Clarke, who was commentating on the match for Wide World of Sports, was also critical of DRS.

"I was certain that was missing the stumps. When you look at that replay, I thought it was definitely swinging too far and missing the leg stump,” said Clarke on air.

"It has clipped his toe, then clipped his pad, and then got onto the bat,” continued Clarke. "But what I don't agree with is the line of the delivery once the ball hits him on the toe...I believe the line of that delivery is going down and missing leg stump."

Clarke’s co-commentator and former Australian cricketer Mark Taylor also criticised DRS, saying, “Watching those replays I thought Mitchell Marsh would be fine. He was given not out so the technology has to prove that he was definitely out to overturn the decision.

"It almost looks like the ball seamed back a little bit and just done enough for 50 per cent to hit the outside of the stump, meaning the not out call was overturned,” said Taylor. “I reckon the ball is going to flick the stumps at best. But to be overturned, Mitchell Marsh is very unlucky."

Earlier in the match, Aussie captain Steve Smith also fell prey to another questionable decision by the DRS.

Debutant spinner Keshav Maharaj’s delivery seemed to be going down the leg side, as it rapped Smith on the pads after the 27-year-old danced down the tracks to him. There was also the height issue to be addressed to, as the ball had hit Smith on the knee roll.

Despite the fact that umpire Aleem Dar adjudged Smith to be out, the right-handed batsman immediately signalled for the DRS to be used.

To Smith’s dismay however, the ball-tracking technology of the DRS system showed that the ball would have gone on to clip the bails and the leg stump.

Legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne also slammed DRS while commentating for Channel Nine.

"To me this is a bad decision. The DRS system is there to get the right decision,” he said. “I'd make it this simple: the on-field decision should be taken out of the equation.”

"It should be very simple. We know (ball tracking) isn't 100 per cent accurate,” continued Warne. “Let's say if more than 40 per cent of the ball is hitting the stumps, you're out. If it's less than 40 per cent, you're not out. Irrelevant of what the on-field decision was.”

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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