Bipin Dani
Sri Lankan head coach Mickey Arthur is comfortable with the local umpires in South Africa.
The introduction of two home team umpires for bilaterals after nearly two decades due to the logistical challenges of travelling given the flight restrictions in place globally will enable the South African umpires to officiate in both the Tests.
West Indies captain Jason Holder recently pressed for an end to cricket’s insistence on home umpires because of the coronavirus pandemic,
“If we can travel and do a quarantine, I don’t see why an opposing (team) umpire can’t do the travel and quarantine. If players are making the sacrifice and go on the road and continue cricket then I feel as though the umpires should do the same”, he said.
However, Sri Lankan coach, Mickey Arthur has no issues with the South African umpires officiating in both the Tests. “I am comfortable with the home umpires. I don’t think any umpires in the world would be biased. I am ok with the local umpires’’, he said when asked by this reporter during the virtual conference.
Marais Erasmus, one of the ICC’s Elite Panel umpires will be in charge of the first Test beginning at the Centurion on 26-December.
Zimbabwe’s Andy Pycroft will be the match referee for the forthcoming Test series between South Africa and Sri Lanka, it is learnt here.
According to the sources in the ICC, the 65-year-old Pycroft is already in South Africa. Pycroft became a member of the Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees in March 2009 and has so far officiated in 344 international matches (76 Tests, 178nODIs and 90 T-20Is).
In the meantime, all 21 players and support staff members of the visiting team had given 2nd PCR tests on Tuesday. The results of these tests are due on Tuesday late night. The tests were conducted by the South African medical panel.
