ICC to raise umpiring standards: Mani

Umpiring has again come into question after Sachin was given out wrongly.

The chief of cricket's governing body said on Sunday that they were making efforts to raise quality of umpiring to near-perfection.

"We are trying to raise from 90 per cent to 97 per cent the rate of correct decisions (by umpires)," International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani told reporters at the Eden Gardens stadium.

Umpiring standards have again come into question after West Indian Steve Bucknor, officiating in the India-Pakistan Test here, wrongly declared Sachin Tendulkar out.

Bucknor, officiating in his 100th Test, later apologised for his mistake. "Bucknor is one of top five umpires in the world. But he too can make mistakes," Mani said in defence of the lanky West Indian, who was feted by ICC on Saturday on reaching the personal milestone.

Asked if the ICC was considering introducing neutral umpires in one-day matches, Mani said: "There is a drawback in that because then home umpires will get fewer chances.

"If you talk to players, they want the best umpires. For maintaining the standards in umpiring, ICC conducts medical tests for every umpire every year. Every decision is also scrutinised."

Mani said the ICC also needed to see "once or twice every year" if any umpire had a problem.

He cited the example of a Sri Lankan umpire who was taken out of the ICC's elite panel of umpires because he had a problem with deliveries on the leg-stump.