Controversial Umpires' decision review system set to be introduced

Following a two-day meeting of the International Cricket Council’s cricket committee at Lord’s, it was decided the referral system, trialled in England’s recent away series defeat to West Indies, will come into operation from October.

Its use in the Caribbean came under fire for the length of time taken out of the game when players challenged decisions, and final judgments on dismissals also came under scrutiny.

The cricket committee, chaired by ex-West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, proposed that the review system should not be brought in until after England’s high-profile series against Australia.

Although its implementation is expected to be ratified at a full ICC board meeting next month, Lloyd’s committee decided to allow officials time to digest and better understand its operation.

So it will come into effect immediately after this year’s Champions Trophy in South Africa.

The trial, which saw players given the opportunity to ask for umpires’ decisions to be reviewed by the television umpire, took place in four Test series spanning nine months, and has led to some fine-tuning.

Each team was originally afforded three unsuccessful challenges per innings but that was downgraded to two per side per innings by the time England trialled it.

■ Ian Bell offered another timely reminder to England selectors of his form with an unbeaten 60 to guide Warwickshire to a six-wicket victory over Middlesex at Edgbaston in the Friends Provident Trophy.

Middlesex chose to bat first but eight players failed to make it out of single figures, Eoin Morgan (62) and Dawid Malan (43) the only players to spend much time in the middle.

They were bowled out inside 48 overs and Warwickshire eased past the 165-run target with more than 14 overs to spare.

Neil Carter contributed 56 from 58 balls.

Michael Lumb notched 57 as Hampshire cruised to a sixwicket defeat of Nottinghamshire, who made 202 having opted to bat first.