What is the importance of third umpire in cricket?

Answer 1

In today's world of sport where technology is ever growing in its role as the official decision maker, the Third Umpire, of TV Umpire in cricket has become very important. Some of its applied uses in the game are:

• Run Out referral decisions (when the on field umpires feel it is too close to call without being correct, thus asking for justification).
• Disputed Boundaries (if an on field umpire feels a player may have touched the boundary while fielding the ball, they may call on the third umpire for a more accurate call).
• The UDRS (Umpire Decision Referral System, a recent addition to World Cricket), which involves either team wishing to make a referral if they feel the decision made by the on field umpire is wrong. This can be in the form of:
  • LBW - Using tracking systems, the third umpire may be called upon to re adjudicate a decision.
  • Caught Behind - 'Sniko' or 'Hot Sport' can be used to identify whether a noise or friction was made, thus signifying contact.
• Disputed Catches - when a fielder is unsure as to whether the ball carried, and asks the Third Umpire to view the catch from different angles to come to an accurate conclusion. This use of the Third Umpire has led many batsmen to ask for a referral themselves if they feel the catch did not carry, even if the fielder felt sure, which brings the topic of sportsmanship into question.
• Unique Run Out - Sometimes, when two batsmen are confused with their running between the wickets, they often end up at the same end, and both try to make their ground at the same end. If this is the case and it is a close decision, the TV Umpire is often asked to review the situation, and make a decision as to who to give out, based on who did not make their ground.

Some of the Third Umpire Technologies currently in use are:

• Hot Spot: A heat camera that detects friction.
• Sniko: A sensitive microphone in the stumps that picks up small sounds.
• Hawk Eye: A camera that tracks the ball from the bowlers hands, then if the batsman is hit on the pad, will predict where the ball (if it would) would hit the stumps using the speed, pitch and movement of the ball.
• Different Camera angles, for no-balls and run out decisions.