The umpires stated publicly that orchestrated appealing, which they felt was increasing, and the claiming of catches not cleanly taken could amount to cheating, but the South Africa series, unlike England's Caribbean tour, has adhered to the spirit of the game and the ICC code of conduct.

At the forum organised by the International Cricket Council, which was followed by a referees gathering in Maida Vale near Lord's, the umpires wanted to make their unease heard.

Mervyn Kitchen, who is officiating at Trent Bridge today, said after the meeting: ``As a group, we're pretty unhappy with the way things are heading. It's like a cauldron in Test cricket, and it is calculated to make the job of umpiring even harder. Close fielders are going up for catches when they know very well it isn't out, and that is cheating.''

The point by the umpires is that more media focus could be turned on the behaviour of players rather than the mistakes of umpires. Today's two opposing captains, Alec Stewart and Hansie Cronje, no doubt learned from extraordinary incidents during the winter, both connected with the spirit of the game.

Stewart did not realise he had caught Shivnarine Chanderpaul on the half-volley at slip in Barbados - though the doubt should have persuaded England to call the West Indian back - and Cronje showed crass ignorance of the laws of cricket. The South African lost his temper during the crucial third Test against Australia at Adelaide in February when Mark Waugh, absolutely correctly, was given not out hit wicket.

The misgivings highlighted during the umpires' meeting are not seen as a problem in county cricket. Alan Fordham, of the England Cricket Board, said: ``We're quite proud of our disciplinary record. We take close note of what the umpires say on their reports and we act on it.''

He added: ``The umpires' job has got harder, television technology is better and it is more unforgiving.''

Matthew Fleming, the Kent all-rounder and chairman of the Professional Cricketers Association, said: ``For the most part English umpires are really good. There's the odd exception, and the players think that by a big appeal they can get a wicket. The result is so much more important than it used to be. Whatever happens there are always going to be extremes.''