Snicko set for green light for the second test

New Zealand



Real-time Snicko is set to join Hot Spot in third umpire Paul Reiffel's kitbag for tomorrow's second cricket test in Wellington.

International Cricket Council general manager Geoff Allardice confirmed the extra technology would be used for the first time in a New Zealand test, pending a final sign-off from both teams last night.

It means Reiffel can call on Snicko, in conjunction with Hot Spot, to adjudicate on whether a batsman edged the ball in caught behind or lbw decisions.

Real-time Snicko is in use for the Ashes series in Australia and was part of Sky's coverage in last week's first test in Dunedin, where it was trialled.

Captains and management from the New Zealand and West Indies teams met separately with Allardice, match referee Roshan Mahanama and ICC umpires' manager Simon Taufel yesterday to discuss it.

"Both teams are interested in using it," Allardice said.

Snicko has long been part of television coverage but took up to five minutes to generate a reading, meaning it wasn't an option for the decision review system (DRS) until it was improved in the past year. The ICC monitored its use in the Ashes tests in Brisbane and Adelaide and was satisfied with how it worked.

"It's fast, it's automatic and it's controlled by the technology providers, which is a bit different to the Snicko we've known for the last 10-20 years."

Allardice said the biggest question from players and coaches was consistent delivery of the technology and consistent interpretation by the umpires.

There was some DRS controversy in Dunedin when Hot Spot appeared to show West Indies opener Darren Bravo had been hit on the wristband of his glove and caught on 44, but third umpire Ian Gould didn't uphold New Zealand's DRS challenge on the basis of insufficient evidence. Allardice said he hadn't seen that particular decision and couldn't comment.

"We're trying to get as many decisions correct as possible. Part of it is to give the umpires the tools to get conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field decision. If there isn't conclusive evidence the on-field decision will stand."