Kirsten backs use of Decision Review System

South Africa coach favours entry of associate nations in World Cup.

SINGAPORE:

Cricket's controversial Decision Review System (DRS) has received the backing of World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten, who also believes the associate members' bid for direct entry into future tournaments would be good for the sport.

Kirsten believed that DRS had helped improve the sport. "I'm very much in favour of it, I think it's a great system," he said. "It's increased the consistency of umpiring so I'm a fan of it but I know there are some negative views of it within India."

The Board of Control of Cricket in India have been strongly against the use of the DRS system, voicing concerns about the technology's accuracy despite the International Cricket Council (ICC) saying it had improved correct decisions by seven percent. The former South Africa opener did, however, think the technology could be adapted to prevent teams from using the DRS break for strategising.

"It was discussed at the ICC meeting that they might bring down two appeals per inning to one so that it takes away the strategy around using DRS."

'Important to spread  the game'

Kirsten also said it was important that the associate nations were given automatic entrance into future 50-over World Cups. The ICC initially restricted the 2015 World Cup to the 10 Test-playing nations only to backtrack to propose a qualifying tournament.

"World Cup is about an indication of how we're spreading the game around the globe. A team like Ireland that have had tremendous success in their limited professional structures could be an example to other associate countries."

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2011.