Read the Comment on the Double Standards of the International Cricket Council (ICC) when it comes to matters involving non-European cricketers and inventors. The Decision Review System (DRS) is another example where the ICC has failed to ‘play cricket’ in the true spirit of the game. ICC has a moral obligation to the Cricket world to explain how it acquired the idea of DRS. Both Wikipedia and Google identify Senaka Weeraratna, a lawyer from Sri Lanka, as the inventor of DRS based on his letter to the Editor of the ‘ Australian ‘ newspaper dated March 25, 1997, where he advocated a system called’ Player Referral ‘ to resolve mistakes made by ground umpires in combination with Video Replay technology. The fundamental elements of ‘ Player Referral ‘ and the DRS are the same. There is no other claimant for this invention. The ICC must give due recognition to Senaka Weeraratna as the inventor of the Decision Review System in Cricket. That is ‘playing cricket’ in the true spirit of the game.

The shame of suppressing the name of the true inventor of DRS falls not only on the ICC but also on the scandal-ridden and corrupt Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Board and the new ‘avatar’ on the scene the ‘Minister of Sports’. The latter has yet to acknowledge that there is an issue that can if resolved fairly, bring both inestimable laurels and much-needed money to the cash-strapped economy of Sri Lanka. It is time that these two institutions rise above their petty jealousy and envy to deliver their best for their country, Sri Lanka.

Senaka Weeraratna