Hayden backs umpires
24/12/2008 6:03 PM
Test opener Matthew Hayden does not want to see technology take the place of umpires.
Despite being on the receiving end of a contentious decision in Perth, Hayden believes the 'fragility' of umpires was an essential ingredient to cricket.
In a bid to eradicate embarrassing adjudicating errors from the game, the ICC has begun trialling the use of referrals to a third umpire, armed with slow-motion replays, to rule on difficult decisions.
"I struggle with technology in the game. Maybe that's because I'm more old school," Hayden said.
"To my mind the great part of our game is the umpires, they have their own fragility and the crowd enjoy the fact there is some speculation with the decision."
"I think that would be a very poor ingredient and certainly a flavour lost in the game if we went to the stage where everything was so mechanical."
"It also causes a lot of stoppages in play as well. It takes an enormous amount of time. Every time things are referred it takes up so much time in the game."
"I want to see the game flow."
Hayden's criticism follows comments made by players and coaches from New Zealand and West Indies, who are currently playing a series across the Tasman where the umpire referral system is being used.
Australia will have its first contact with the new system when it tours South Africa early next year.