Ford: Technology should decide no-balls

Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford has suggested that no-ball calls should be taken out of the hands of the umpires and technology used instead, after a howler in the middle cost his side a wicket at Lord's.

England opener Alex Hales was given a life when umpire Rod Tucker said that paceman Nuwan Pradeep had overstepped when he bowled the batsman out in the 46th over. But replays showed Pradeep had delivered a fair ball.

Hales went on to make 94, and while Tucker has apologised to Sri Lanka's players for the error, Ford feels that such errors could be eradicated if line technology was used for no-balls. This would leave umpires free to focus on the batsman.

Ford said: "I guess the ICC are going to have to look at it. It just seems strange that with the technology that is available you can get a line call wrong.

"The line doesn't move, and surely we can get to a point where that problem can be taken out of cricket. You'd think the best solution would be for the umpires to worry about what's going on down the other end and for technology to look after the line call."

He added: "Umpiring is a ridiculously hard job anyway. Take one bit of pressure and one little problem away from them.

"The eye specialists all tell you that it's very difficult to be focusing on something a metre away and then focus on something 22 yards away within a split second.

"Maybe take that problem away from them and let them get on with the decision-making."

A no-ball cannot be reviewed or overturned once an umpire has signalled it, so Sri Lanka had no way of questioning the call at the time.

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