Hot Spot inventor predicts AI could replace third umpire within a couple of years

DRS decisions were the talk of the final pulsating day of the Boxing Day Test, but AI is being tipped to make the job of the third umpire redundant within years, writes DANIEL CHERNY.

Third umpire decisions could be taken out of the hands of humans entirely within a couple of years according to the operator of Hot Spot technology, who claims artificial intelligence will soon be good enough to make definitive calls for international cricket.

As Pakistan team director and coach Mohammad Hafeez lashed what he called the “curse” of technology in cricket which he said cost his side during its Boxing Day Test loss to Australia, one of the game’s tech pioneers has flagged the prospect of dramatic change to the decision review system.

Warren Brennan, who invented Hot Spot technology and continues to be involved in providing the system for international cricket in Australia, said the rise of AI could make third umpires obsolete.

Mohammad Rizwan argues with umpire Joel Wilson after his dismissal. Picture: William WEST / AFP

“The next interesting thing that will come up is how much AI gets into this. I think we could probably improve Hot Spot by putting an AI process in there that would actually make the decisions,” Brennan told Code Sports.

“So we could actually train it to say, ‘OK, here’s a solar flare or a sunspot, here is a proper hotspot. So you could train it up to all the things that AI is supposed to be good at. And you could probably make it better and you wouldn’t even have the umpire to actually look at it. It’ll just say in or out.

“And you can do the same for Snicko as well. So again, I don’t know do you want people to actually make the decision on it themselves or do you want a machine?”

Brennan said the capacity to use AI in such a manner was close.

“I don’t think we’re that far. The next year or two,” he said.

“I keep my eye on this stuff. You get this stuff popping up on your news feeds and particularly your science top journals. And I see that stuff two or three days a week and you see it and you read it and you look at and think ‘wow, OK.’”

Central umpires like Michael Gough and Joel Wilson are safe – for now – but the third umpire might be at peril from the rise of AI. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Fox is already trialling AI technology as part of its Test coverage.

“They’re sending the replays offsite to a facility here in Melbourne somewhere,” Brennan said.

“They’re adding extra frames and bits and pieces and then they’re sending them back and then two or three minutes later, it’s ready to go.”

Brennan’s comments came after several contentious third umpire calls during the Boxing Day Test, including a caught behind decision against Pat Cummins which the Australian skipper did not believe he hit despite a spike on Snicko, and a contentious caught behind call late on day four in which Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan was given out after third umpire Richard Illingworth deemed a short ball from Cummins had brushed the wristband attached to the Pakistani’s glove, a call that left Pakistan fuming.

Australia’s fielders await the Third Umpire decision on the MCG big screen after a DRS challenge. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Brennan said there was an argument for specialist third umpires rather than just using main umpires from the ICC’s elite panel.

“There was talk about it three or four or five years ago,” he said.

“I think that there’s definitely better third party people that could do the job. But again, it’s all about the ICC keeping it themselves.

“The ICC is trying to control this process. They’re not a very technical organisation.”

Australian coach Andrew McDonald defended the advent of technology in cricket on Saturday.

“I think technology is always going to be challenged at certain times, but we’ve got to ask ourselves the question, ‘is the game better with it? Do we get more right?’ I’d say yes. So I think it’s a really interesting area if you start challenging technology when it has added benefits,” McDonald said.

Originally published as Hot Spot inventor predicts AI could replace third umpire within a couple of years