Cricket has by no means shied away from the usage of know-how for making certain equity within the recreation or bettering the viewers’s expertise. However, on the subject of utilizing tech on the pitch by gamers, the sport’s governing physique – International Cricket Council – has stored a relatively conservative method, a stand it took when former South African skipper Hansie Cronje and Allan Donald walked out with earpieces through the 1999 World Cup towards India.

Taking a leaf out of the American sports activities the place it was a typical apply for gamers to put on earpieces to speak to their coaches, South Africa’s head coach Bob Woolmer recommended the 2 Proteas senior gamers use the tools. The transfer was first carried out throughout a apply recreation of the World Cup, the place nobody appeared to take discover of it.

So, the trio of Woolmer, Cronje and Donald selected utilizing earpieces through the opening World Cup recreation towards India. However, it didn’t lengthy for the commentators to note one thing uncommon across the gamers’ ears when South Africa took to the sphere within the first innings.

Soon, Indian openers Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar took discover of the earpieces worn by Cronje and Donald, and approached on-field umpires Steve Bucknor and David Shepherd, simply at the beginning of a drink break.

The umpires spoke to Cronje who instructed them about what was happening. However, the umpires couldn’t resolve if the usage of earpieces by South African gamers was unlawful, they usually method match referee Talat Ali because the drama unfolded on the bottom. He too was not sure and contacted ICC over the legality of utilizing earpieces through the match. The governing physique mentioned that whereas the usage of the tools didn’t break any of their guidelines, it was unfair to the opposite facet.

Both gamers have been requested to take away the gadgets and the usage of such gadgets was subsequently banned by ICC.

South Africa went on to win the match and Woolmer defended the transfer utilizing earpieces saying that he simply was making an attempt to be modern and didn’t intend to upset anybody. Woolmer added that he ought to have requested for ICC’s permission earlier than going forward with the transfer.

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