The world of cricket is set to witness another chapter which could have serious implications, changing the nature of the game and the way it is played.
The Test series between India and Sri Lanka, which starts tomorrow, could well be a watershed fixture in the history of cricket, with players and captains allowed to contest and appeal a decision if it is percieved as incorrect.
The review system is already in place in tennis, where every decision which is successfully challenged ensures that the quota of three referrals remain intact. Like tennis, cricket also uses technology but only for slow motion replays for catches and boundary line fielding efforts. The expertise of the Hawk Eye, especially for leg before decisions, is available to the television commentators. These will now be made available to the umpires.
While the debate rages on the pros (getting more decisions right) and the cons (slowing up the game among others), one umpire says there is no harm giving it a try.
David Shepherd, the senior retired umpire - only Steve Bucknor has officiated more matches - is more famous for his traditional mindset and superstitions like standing on one leg when the team score is 111, a Nelson.
While Shepherd subscribes to the general feeling that the trend is harmful to the spirit of the game, he is also unequivocal that anything which helps in getting the decisions right should not be discouraged without having a look at it.
"Let us try it out first and see what happens. The idea is to get as many decisions correct as possible. That is what we (umpires) have been trying to do."
"If the technology can help us, why not? If it gets things more right, the better. If not, we can always drop it. But it's worth giving a try," says Shepherd.
His predecessor Dickie Bird, also from England, disagrees and has called it "the death of the thinking umpire".
"People tell me you've got to move with the times," says Bird. "But this a sad development for cricket, because the sanctity of an umpire's authority is what has kept the game running going back into history.
"People like myself, who liked only to give their own decisions and think on their own, are finished. All the big umpires I have talked to here in England feel they want to give their own decisions, but that's gone now.
"It is an eyewash on the ICC's part to say the final decision rests with the on-field umpire."
As if on cue, the second Test between England and South Africa started on a sour note with players contesting the dismissals of Andrew Strauss and Hashim Amla. While Strauss himself called for the third umpire, Amla was sent back from the pavillion by coach Mickey Arthur.
It is now revealed that both sides had failed to agree to mutual terms in case of dispute, thus implying that the umpire's word should have been final.
And Shepherd agrees that the game is heading in the wrong direction, riding roughshod over the spirit that once distinguished it from other sports. "Yes, it is sad but true," he added. "I accept that the spirit of the game has been tarnished. It has not been like it was before."
But the official of 92 Tests, 172 one day internationals and 16 matches as TV umpire is still of the view that the experiment continues despite the problem of slowing the game down, especially in the face of the Twenty20 threat. "It is difficult but that's the idea of getting it [decisions] right despite the problems," he says.
"It is a test, not only of the officials, but also of the players."
Former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar also sees this decision from a fan's point of view. "The spectator interest rises whenever a decision is referred to the third umpire," he says.
"Yes, there could be some slowing down of the proceedings, but I feel the bigger culprit is the dismal over-rates maintained by teams which slows down the game a lot."
Former Sri Lanka captain Aravinda de Silva concurs with Shepherd.
"When you have a system in place to eliminate doubts (in the umpire's mind), we should make use of it even if cuts down the pace of the game," says De Silva.
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Apple product price list
iPad Pro
11" - $799 (64GB)
12.9" - $999 (64GB)
MacBook Air
$1,199
Mac Mini
$799
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
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OPENING FIXTURES
Saturday September 12
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Arsenal
Liverpool v Leeds United
Tottenham v Everton
West Brom v Leicester
West Ham v Newcastle
Monday September 14
Brighton v Chelsea
Sheffield United v Wolves
To be rescheduled
Burnley v Manchester United
Manchester City v Aston Villa
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Initial investment: Undisclosed
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
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What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
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COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
SPECS
Toyota land Cruiser 2020 5.7L VXR
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Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Sunday's Super Four matches
Dubai, 3.30pm
India v Pakistan
Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangladesh v Afghanistan
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Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
