The search for improved decisionmaking will not only see standing umpires wired-up to TV stump microphone technology, but also third umpires calling no balls. The no-ball trial was a success at a recent triangular-one-day tournament involving India, Australia and Pakistan.
ICC general manager David Richardson said: "In practice, it is more demanding for the third umpire, who has to look at every delivery bowled. Where no balls have been called, there has been minimal delay between the standing umpire receiving the call from the third umpire and making his signal."
Sky Sports, which will broadcast every match in the Champions Trophy, will provide standing umpires with the link from the stump microphone and will also have four side-on cameras permanently fixed on the popping crease for no balls.
Barney Francis, executive producer of Sky Sports Cricket, said. "The ICC are just using existing technology. It's not costly at all."
Francis believes the gizmos already in place are the tip of the iceberg.
He is confident that Hawkeye, a controversial device used to work out leg before dismissals, will continue to improve.
He said: "Hawkeye will never be 100 per cent accurate because it is based on a prediction of the past. A sudden gust of wind can alter the trajectory of the ball by a centimetre. But I believe it is 99 per cent right."
The real ace up the sleeve of Sky Sports and the other broadcasters is Ultra Motion, the high-speed camera which was introduced in sports broadcasting for the first time during England's series in the Caribbean.
Ultra Motion captures an incredible 1,000 frames a second, compared to the normal slo-motion cameras which capture 48 frames per second.
Francis believes it has already revolutionised Sky's coverage.
He added: "There was one instance in the Caribbean when Darren Ganga seemed to have edged one behind. Everyone appealed but it was given not out. We couldn't tell from normal cameras, including super slomo. It was only with Ultra Motion that we could judge with certainty that he had edged it."
But its development is still in the formative stages and although Sky viewers will have access to the camera during the Champions Trophy, the umpires will not.
Francis said: "We will continue to improve it. When that happens I'm sure the ICC will approach us and see if it can help with decisions."
