West Indies captain Chris Gayle has joined Daniel Vettori in questioning the relevance of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) referral system for umpiring decisions after the first test against New Zealand dissolved into a draw at University Oval today.
New Zealand captain Vettori expressed reservations about the initiative, which enables players to request the third match official review adjudications by the on-field umpires, despite having two referred calls go in his favour when he bowled yesterday.
He suggested the system should limit the number of unsuccessful referrals allowed to one, not three, per innings so the umpires in the middle still made the bulk of the calls and batsmen still obtained the benefit of the doubt when there was a 50-50 decision.
Vettori cited the dismissal of Daniel Flynn for 95 on Thursday, leg before wicket to Gayle, as an example of a borderline decision that should go in favour of the batsman.
In Vettori's view the third umpire should be utilised only to correct obviously incorrect decisions, as Rudi Koertzen did when Xavier Marshall initially survived a bat-pad appeal when facing Vettori yesterday.
Gayle, who initially sympathised with Flynn when he was given out for 95, today reiterated he preferred the status quo for the two on-field umpires to make the decisions.
"I'm not really a big fan of it. They have two standing umpires out there to actually get the job done.
"Sometimes the decision will be in your favour, sometimes it won't. That's what has been happening over the years."
The ICC is expected to decide early next year whether to introduce the system for all test series.
Gayle said he would make his opinion known if captains were consulted but he feared "maybe no one will listen".
There were seven referrals made during the test, which Koertzen spent a combined 30 minutes deliberating.
Flynn and Kyle Mills were given out leg before wicket, while Jesse Ryder and Mark Gillespie survived appeals, and Koertzen's assessment.
Mills was denied a concerted leg before wicket appeal against Sewnarine Chattergoon although Marshall and Denesh Ramdin were both picked up by Vettori.
Regardless of the players' opinions at least umpiring controversies did not have a bearing on the outcome here because Dunedin's grim summer had the final say.
The test was declared a draw at 2pm after rain washed out a second full day's play.
Showers also wiped out the second day on Friday while a resumption on Saturday was delayed more than three hours while the outfield dried out.
Those delays meant a win for either side was unlikely. New Zealand were 44 for two at stumps last night, holding an overall lead of 69.
The teams head to Napier tomorrow where the second and final test starts on Friday.
A result there seems possible with both sides appearing evenly matched in that they both display batting and bowling frailties.
Flynn, batting at first drop for the first time in his first-class and test career, Ryder, who scored 89, and Vettori, with figures of six for 56, emerged with the most credit for the home side while new opener Tim McIntosh made a decent fist of his debut with 34 and a fortuitous 24 not out.
Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul made contrasting 70s although both senior players were overshadowed by man-of-the-match Jerome Taylor, whose 106 enabled the West Indies to come within range of New Zealand's 365.
"I knew he could go out there and give us something big. He is working hard of his batting to become an allround cricketer," Gayle said as he reflected on fast bowler Taylor's maiden test century and his role in a 153-run stand for the seventh wicket with Chanderpaul.
Vettori has concerns with his bowling attack and the fitness of allrounder Jacob Oram.
Mark Gillespie, who had figures of none for 102 from 21 overs, lacked penetration and control with the new ball.
If fit Oram will play as a batsman only, meaning Gillespie may hold his place.
The other option is to play second spinner Jeetan Patel and use Mills, Iain O'Brien and James Franklin as the seamers.
A decision on Oram's fitness should be made by Thursday.
Mills, his replacement here, appears certain to be retained after he took figures of three for 64 from 24 overs.
NZPA
