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Karachi, Dec 20: Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam called for more assistance from technology to adjudicate dubious decisions. The former captain, speaking from Lahore on telephone, said the technology was available and it should be utilized.

"If you can use television to adjudge run-outs, stumpings and legitimate catches, then you can use the television to adjudge bat and pad decisions.

"The television can also be used to judge if the ball has got a thin edge while going into the wicket-keeper's hand," Intikhab said.

He was referring to two dubious decisions in the Hobart Test which Pakistan lost to Australia by four wickets. Justin Langer, in the first innings was declared caught at silly point while in the second innings was not given out when he had got an inside edge off Wasim Akram on the fifth morning.

Umpiring came under more fire when South African umpire Rudi Koertzen gave three dubious decisions against the Englishmen and Sachin Tendulkar was a victim of bad judgement by Australian Darrell Hair.

Intikhab said there was enough room to utilize electronic technology to make the game crystal clear.

"Pakistan, England and India felt that they were victims of poor umpiring. Now if television had been used in all the three Tests, the outcome might have been different and there would not have been criticism on umpiring," he said.

Intikhab believed that it was just a delay in inevitable. "I am confident that in the near future televisions will play more role in decisions. The days when there was no technology are gone. Now you have the best equipment to judge decisions. I feel if you can utilize it, why delay in amending laws."

Intikhab joined the bandwagon of stalwarts calling for the introduction of third country umpires at both ends.

"The ICC has enough funds to appoint both foreign umpires.

"Players and spectators vehemently feel that they have been cheated instead of taking it as an human error. Now if there are third country umpires, the element of cheating will be played by human error," he stated.

Intikhab disagreed with Wasim Akram's suggestion that a match referee can suspend a player on sledging.

He said sledging definitely comes in the ICC code of conduct "but the match referee can only act on the umpires report. The captains cannot dictate to the match referee.

Wasim Akram has said that he would be asking the match referee in the tri- nation series in Australia to suspend any player found guilty of sledging instead of giving him a suspended sentence or imposing fines.

Intikhab said there was set rules which have to be followed by the umpires and the match referee. He stated that the laws cannot be amended if a captain feels they are wrong.

"If the players feel that the opposition is sledging, the best way is to approach the umpire and bring the matter to his knowledge.

"If the Australians sledge, its because they play the sport the hard way. I know that it is unethical, but that's the way they play the game. Instead of responding to their abuses, just tell the umpire that that player is bothering you and the umpire will swiftly act."

Intikhab, himself an ICC match referee, said the match referee can act himself if he sees a player hurling abuses on the opposition player. "But he will still talk to the umpires because they are the men in the centre and know exactly what is happening."

Intikhab said he received a telephone call from Shoaib Akhtar on Monday. "He has arrived in Islamabad and will be joining the camp on Tuesday."

© Dwan