National cricket umpiring manager Brian Aldridge is expecting some controversy over a decision to allow greater consultation between umpires in New Zealand cricket this summer.

Aldridge said the policy of consultation is covered by two laws but is aimed at helping to increase the percentage of getting decisions right.

What the law will do is allow one umpire to consult the other for a second opinion on a decision.

"The umpire cannot hand over his decision, but as the affected umpire he can initiate a discussion.

"He might not have heard a sound when a batsman played at a ball, but such was the position of the bat that if there was a noise it could only have come from the bat.

"He would then be entitled to call in the square leg umpire and ask him if he heard a noise. He [the square leg umpire] could say that he did but didn't know what it was. That would then be left to the affected umpire to decide.

"If the square leg umpire wasn't able to help at all, then the benefit of the doubt applies and goes in favour of the batsman," Aldridge said.

"At the end of the day we are trying to get the decision right.

"Why should we as spectators have more technology and assistance available to us in the comfort of our lounge seats than the umpire has in his position in the middle?" Aldridge asked.

He said that cricket had initiated the use of a third umpire to aid decision-making and had been a frontrunner in sport. But he now believed that cricket had fallen behind other sports in utilising technology.

"There will be a lot of controversy about this but we are determined to apply it," Aldridge said.

Aldridge also announced New Zealand's international panel of umpires for the 2000-2001 season has been increased by one to six.

The panel is: Doug Cowie, Steve Dunne, Brent Bowden, Evan Watkin, Dave Quested and Tony Hill.

And at last week's national umpiring conference in Palmerston North the following officials were appointed:

President and chairman of the New Zealand Cricket Umpires' Association is Mike Spring. Committee members are: Brian Williamson, George Morris, Graham Cowan. Brian Aldridge (secretary).

© CricInfo