Star Australian opener David Warner has expressed his displeasure at the ball-tracking technology and called for greater accountability from umpires after his controversial lbw dismissal in the ODI World Cup 2023 match against Sri Lanka in Lucknow on Monday.
Against Sri Lanka, Warner was given out lbw on the field by umpire Joel Wilson for 11 after a delivery from left-arm pacer Dilshan Madhushanka struck him on the pad very close to his leg-stump.
He reviewed it immediately and Hawk Eye (part of ball tracking technology) showed that the ball had straightened enough to clip his leg-stump. Australia kept the review as it was the umpire’s call, but Warner gave an angry reaction while walking off from the field.
The left-handed batter has now explained why he was upset and also made it very clear that his angst was more with technology and not directed at umpire Wilson.
“I just sprayed out loud in frustration pretty much – not just at myself – but [because] it kept low, and normally when something hits me on the leg on the outside, I know it’s pretty much going down leg.
I asked Joel when I was out there just what happened, why did he give it out. He said the ball was swinging back. To his credit, if he thinks that then that’s why he’s given the decision. But then when you see the replay of how it unfolded, you get a little bit annoyed. That’s out of our control,” Warner was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“There’s a lot to say in terms of what I’d like to see. This probably won’t get across, but players’ stats go up on the board as you walk out to bat. When they announce the umpires, and they come up on the screen, I’d love to see their stats come up on the board as well. Because we see that in the NRL (National Rugby League). The NRL shows those stats. I think the NFL (National Football League) shows those stats [as well]. I think it’s a great thing for the spectators to see as well.
“Obviously players get dropped for poor performances. It’s never explained to us what goes on with the panel. It’s just an indicator. It’s just little things to show spectators [that] it’s not easy. You can explain where it’s not easy, [and] why it’s not easy, and then when good decisions are made, they can explain it. I just think it’s something that could be explored,” he added.
The 36-year-old batter feels that there are not any biased decision-makers among the ICC elite panel of umpires, but he wants more accountability from them.
“You definitely know which umpires are going to give those 50-50 ones when it hits the pad, and that’s where from my perspective it gets frustrating. There’s no bias in anything. It’s just that you feel like that as a player sometimes,” Warner said.
“There has to be some accountability. If you get a decision wrong, just accept it and apologise. Players aren’t going to bite your head off. Umpires aren’t going to bite your head off if you ask them the question. They’re generally pretty honest. You see it with the bunker in the NRL. You get some absolute stinkers, and some umpires don’t umpire the next game,” he added.
Warner also questioned ICC’s ball-tracking technology provider Hawk-Eye and claimed that. he has never had the technology explained to him.
“At the moment, we seem to be waiting for [ball-tracking]. And as a player, you get more frustrated because you think, ‘Did they line it up? What’s the impact points? how many impact points are there before it goes on?” said Warner.
“I’ve never had Hawk-Eye come in and explain to us how the technology actually works; it’s just for the TV. If they could come in and explain to us how it works, then sometimes we might not refer, or [actually] refer it,” he concluded.
The Pat Cummins led Australia will face Pakistan in their next ODI World Cup 2023 match in Bengaluru on Friday.
