England start as firm favourites

In their use of DRS, they have no love lost for Asian umpires

After a comprehensive defeat to Bangladesh in the 2nd Test, England start their Five Test Series in India at Rajkot on Wednesday November 9th as firm favourites.

Well, they come with a huge experience of having used the Decision Review System (DRS) extensively, while India gets its first exposure in Tests.

Let's take a recent sample - a moot case in point!

The 1st Test between Bangladesh and England held at Chittagong, from Oct 20 to 24, 2016 had a unique record of sorts – the number of umpiring decisions reviewed has been the highest ever in a Test match since the introduction of the DRS. The two on field umpires for the match were CB Gaffaney from New Zealand and HDPK Dharmasena of Sri Lanka.

Both teams Bangladesh and England used the DRS to equal measure of 13 times each, while Eng had a higher success ratio of 54%, Bangladesh managed to get only 31% decisions against them overturned (Review Upheld). Of the 12 batsmen reviews (both teams included) 50% were upheld. However the Bowling reviews worked in favour of the Umpires with 64% of their decisions vindicated (struck down) and just 36% overturned (upheld).

10 of Umpire Gaffaney’s decisions were under scrutiny and he scored 70% success with only 3 decisions being overturned. Umpire Dharmasena’s decisions had more reviews – 16 in all, with 50% of his decisions being overturned and 50% vindicated.

England exercised their review more against Dharmasena’s decisions with 85% of their total reviews against the Sri Lankan Umpire and had 55% success, While 62% of Bangladesh’s reviews were of Gaffaney’s decision and with just 25% success.

The take away from the statistics is a bit obvious – the Englishmen don’t trust the Asian umpires much, while the hosts were more in favour of the Sri Lankan’s decisions.

It is also pertinent to note that the increase in the number of reviews does not necessarily vindicate the use of technology as much as it is supposed to put the men in the sun under the scanner.

Summary

Total Reviews: 26

Total Review Upheld: 11

Total Review Struck Down: 15

Reviewed by England: 13 – Upheld: 7, Struck Down: 6

Reviewed by Bangladesh: 13 - Upheld: 4, Struck Down: 9

Reviewed by Batting Team: 12 - Upheld: 6, Struck Down: 6

Reviewed by Bowling Team: 14 - Upheld: 5, Struck Down: 9

Umpire Gaffaney - 10

Review Struck Down: 7

Review Upheld: 3

Umpire Dharmasena - 16

Review Struck Down: 8

Review Upheld: 8

The Complete list of Decision Reviews during of the 1st Test: Bangladesh v England at Chittagong, Oct 20-24, 2016

(Courtesy: http://www.espncricinfo.com/)

1.      Over 11.6: Review by Bangladesh (Bowling), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - GS Ballance (Upheld)

2.      Over 23.4: Review by Bangladesh (Bowling), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - MM Ali (Struck down)

3.      Over 26.5: Review by England (Batting), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - MM Ali (Upheld)

4.      Over 28.2: Review by England (Batting), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - MM Ali (Upheld)

5.      Over 28.4: Review by England (Batting), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - MM Ali (Upheld)

6.      Over 47.4: Review by Bangladesh (Bowling), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - MM Ali (Struck down)

7.      Over 83.5: Review by Bangladesh (Bowling), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - AU Rashid (Struck down)

8.      Over 93.2: Review by England (Batting), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - AU Rashid (Upheld)

9.      Over 102.1: Review by England (Batting), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - SCJ Broad (Upheld)

10.  Over 105.5: Review by Bangladesh (Bowling), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - SCJ Broad (Upheld)

11.  Over 42.6: Review by Bangladesh (Batting), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Tamim Iqbal (Upheld)

12.  Over 64.3: Review by England (Bowling), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Mushfiqur Rahim (Struck down)

13.  Over 78.2: Review by England (Bowling), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Shafiul Islam (Struck down)

14.  Over 81.1: Review by Bangladesh (Batting), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - Mehedi Hasan Miraz (Struck down)

15.  Over 84.1: Review by England (Bowling), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Sabbir Rahman (Struck down)

16.  Over 0.5: Review by Bangladesh (Bowling), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - BM Duckett (Struck down)

17.  Over 9.2: Review by England (Batting), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - JE Root (Struck down)

18.  Over 68.4: Review by Bangladesh (Bowling), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - AU Rashid (Upheld)

19.  Over 75.4: Review by Bangladesh (Bowling), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - SCJ Broad (Struck down)

20.  Over 80.2: Review by England (Batting), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - GJ Batty (Struck down)

21.  Over 9.4: Review by England (Bowling), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Tamim Iqbal (Struck down)

22.  Over 27.5: Review by England (Bowling), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Mominul Haque (Upheld)

23.  Over 29.6: Review by Bangladesh (Batting), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Mahmudullah (Struck down)

24.  Over 70.5: Review by Bangladesh (Batting), Umpire - CB Gaffaney, Batsman - Mehedi Hasan Miraz (Struck down)

25.  Over 81.1: Review by England (Bowling), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Taijul Islam (Upheld)

26.  Over 81.3: Review by Bangladesh (Batting), Umpire - HDPK Dharmasena, Batsman - Shafiul Islam (Struck down)