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Calls have been made for the power to decide on the forfeiture of Test matches to be taken away from umpires and instead given to the match referee.

Many feel the ball-tampering furore in The Oval Test may have had a different outcome had referee Mike Procter, not umpire Darrell Hair, made the decision.

Sri Lanka Cricket publicly announced it was in favour of a rule change. The Chairman Jayantha Dharmadasa said: “The ICC should discuss if some decisions would be better left to referees.”

Dharmadasa insisted his view was not just shared by a few but would be welcomed across the board by the Test nations. “This should be settled quickly for the good of the game,” he said. “There will be no split between Asia and the other Test countries on this, I am confident that a settlement will be reached.”

There would be no need for a change in the laws, merely a change in the regulations for international cricket stating that, when in situ, a match referee should assume final responsibility. The ICC was unavailable for comment.

Source:The News