Referral System

India skipper Anil Kumble today became the first cricketer in the history of the game to go for the review of an on-field umpire's decision when Mark Benson turned down a leg-before appeal against Malinda Warnapura off Harbhajan Singh. Kumble, using the right under new umpire referral system, sought the opinion of the third umpire, who upheld the decision of Benson. Warnapura, who struck his second Test century, was on 86 when Harbhajan made a confident leg before appeal. South African television umpire Rudi Koertzen after scrutinising the replay went with Benson's ruling. This was for the first time that a decision other than stumping and run out was made with the help of the third umpire. The International Cricket Council (ICC) introduced the referral system on an experimental basis for this Test series. A batsman or fielding captain can now request a review of any decision by referring it to the third official monitoring television replays.