Pat Cummins explains the two changes he wants to see in DRS
Pat Cummins spoke out against the current iteration of the Decision Review System (DRS), suggesting it acts to the bowlers' disadvantage. The Australian vice-captain claimed the DRS favors the batsmen when it comes to LBW calls.
The DRS and the role of “Umpire’s Call” in making decisions have been a hot topic of discussion in recent months. Many cricketers have called for the removal of “Umpire’s call” for LBW decisions, touting inconsistency in decision making.
Pat Cummins, on Fox Cricket, admitted he did not understand why the hitting zone of the stumps does not include the bails. The fast bowler expounded how that makes it difficult for bowlers to get LBW decisions in their favor.
“They measure the 50 per cent of the ball not from the top of the bail, but from the line you see from the top of the stump. So you almost need 70 per cent of the ball. It brings down the area you’ve got to be hitting the stumps to quite small. It almost has to be a half-volley for someone who’s quite tall, or you have to be bowling so straight from stump to stump.”
For a decision to be overturned, more than 50% of the ball has to hit the “hitting zone”. The “hitting zone” refers to a rectangular region, stretching from the outer ends of the off and leg stump horizontally. Curiously, the hitting zone begins from the top of the stumps vertically and does not include the bails.
That means that even if a ball is hitting the bails and part of the stumps, the decision can be not out or out depending on the on-field umpire’s call. Pat Cummins disagreed with the same rule, claiming it works against bowlers who get a lot of bounce.
“Nathan Lyon bowling here in Australia obviously gets quite a lot of bounce — it’s so hard for him to get an lbw. It has to be hitting the stumps for a batter to be out lbw – but it can also be hitting the stumps and they still won’t be out,” Cummins argued.
Pat Cummins wants to see changes in referrals for caught behinds
As of now, teams retain their review if the LBW decision shows up as an “umpire’s call”. But Pat Cummins also wants teams to not lose a review in the event of close calls for caught-behind referrals.
“I understand it’s there for the howler, they keep saying. But I don’t understand why then nicks behind are so black and white. I know he’s either nicked it or he hasn’t, but there are times where you’re not 100 per cent whether snicko lines up or you can’t say for certain whether he’s copped glove.”