Mahela backs review trial

COLOMBO – Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has backed a new experimental rule allowing players to seek a second opinion on umpiring decisions, saying it has succeeded in cutting down mistakes.

Sri Lanka benefited four times under the rule during the opening Test against India here before winning by a record innings and 239 runs on Saturday to gain a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The rule, on trial in the ongoing series, allows a batsman or fielding captain to request a review of any decision by referring it to the third official monitoring television replays.Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan was the first beneficiary.He was on one when initially given out caught by umpire Mark Benson of England on Thursday, but asked the official to review the decision.Benson consulted TV umpire Rudi Koertzen of South Africa before changing his decision.Dilshan went on to score 125 not out.Indian batsmen Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were initially given not out by on-field officials, who changed their decisions after consulting the TV umpire.Off-spin maverick Muralitharan was named man of the match for grabbing 11 wickets.AFPThe rule, on trial in the ongoing series, allows a batsman or fielding captain to request a review of any decision by referring it to the third official monitoring television replays.Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan was the first beneficiary.He was on one when initially given out caught by umpire Mark Benson of England on Thursday, but asked the official to review the decision.Benson consulted TV umpire Rudi Koertzen of South Africa before changing his decision.Dilshan went on to score 125 not out.Indian batsmen Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were initially given not out by on-field officials, who changed their decisions after consulting the TV umpire.Off-spin maverick Muralitharan was named man of the match for grabbing 11 wickets.AFP