Kumar Sangakkara hits out at DRS

ByAmlan Majumdar, SportsCafe Editor

06/10/2016

Former Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara took to social media to vent is anger and frustration on the DRS, that is currently in use in cricket. His reaction came after England batsman Jonny Bairstow questionably survived a close call in the 3rd Test between England and Sri Lanka.

The DRS (Decision Review System) upheld the umpires' original decision to give him not out after an LBW appeal, despite the ball tracking system showing that the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps. The center of the ball was millimeters outside the line, which ran down the middle of Bairstow's leg stump, and the batsman was given the benefit of the doubt.

Sangakkara took to Twitter to vent his frustration regarding this call. The former wicketkeeper-batsman has urged the ICC to remove ambiguity from the review system, and insisted that it makes a mockery of the term “Elite Umpire Panel”.

High time the ICC got rid of this umpires call. If the ball is hitting the stumps it should be out on review regardless of umps decision.
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2)

The Umpires call makes a good review useless. It should be out or not out on review. Otherwise it becomes a bit of a farce
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2)

With The Umpire's call technology is used as an excuse for the umpire making a mistake. Technology should ensure the correct decision's made
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2)

The result of a review should not be ambiguous. We can't say it's hitting the stumps but we give the benefit of the doubt to the umpire
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2)

If the umpire wants a comfort zone give him a margin of 20%. If anything more of the ball is hitting it his decision can be overturned.
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2)

Otherwise the term ELITE Umpires Panel has no relevance or significance.
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2)

The current lbw review rule is set to be changed after a recommendation from the ICC's Cricket Committee, and Bairstow would not have survived this appeal had the new rules been in place. However, Bairstow did survive, and went on to make an unbeaten century at stumps—sprinkling salts on Sri Lanka's wound.

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