CRICKET NEWS:ENGLAND'S COACH Andy Flower has warned Stuart Broad that he must accept the umpire's decision as final and leave the field when given out following the flashpoint incident of the first Test, when he stood his ground after being adjudged lbw on referral to the third umpire.

South Africa had delayed their decision to refer the not-out verdict and when the appeal was upheld Broad, furious about the time the process had taken, refused to budge. But Flower said yesterday: “I have spoken with Broady about the incident. If an umpire gives you out, you should go.”

Broad had a disappointing game at Centurion and his behaviour was criticised by the former England captains Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain, with the suggestion that the player is in imminent danger of being suspended.

“I certainly don’t think he will get suspended soon,” said Flower. “He’s a competitive bloke. He’s desperate to contribute to winning games for England. I don’t think he’s overstepping the mark at all. I fully trust that he will behave in the right manner.”

In one sense the Broad incident vindicated the International Cricket Council’s new decision review system (DRS). The umpire Aleem Dar’s decision to give him not out was clearly wrong because the ball was seen to be hitting the middle of middle stump.

But it was the 35-second delay in deciding to lodge an appeal which infuriated Broad and created the suspicion that South Africa’s fielders may have received a message from the dressingroom, which is not allowed under the DRS.

Flower is clearly not an admirer of the new system. “I can’t say I’m enjoying the review system that much,” said Flower. “It’s here to stay for this series so we’ll deal with as best we can. But to be honest, I don’t really like the grey area.”

The original ICC guidelines stipulated that a decision to review must be taken within a “few seconds”. But in pre-series meetings it was agreed that this period could be extended.

Flower, though, is a traditionalist. “I don’t like the questioning of the umpires. And the delay as the players discuss with each other whether they are to question the umpire’s decision.”

As for the future of the new system, Flower makes no secret of the fact he hopes it does not have one – in its current form.

“I’m not a policy-maker, and really my ideas on this don’t count that much,” he said.

“But I think there are some illogical things about it. For instance, we’ve got the technology there to review no-balls every ball – and we don’t actually use it.”

England’s Kevin Pietersen was bowled in the first innings at Centurion by a delivery proven, by the time he had left the pitch, to be an overstepping no-ball.

England fared poorly, compared with their opponents, with their review attempts.

But it was a collapse from 169 for three at tea on the final day to 228 for nine at stumps which left them on the brink of defeat. Flower is far too smart to ignore the vulnerabilities England displayed.

But reflecting on the last-ditch survival reminiscent of last summer’s first Ashes Test – a precursor to series victory – it is not too difficult to put a positive spin on it.

“After the Cardiff Test, it was almost like winning a Test match,” the coach said. “This one is slightly different, because we were in a very strong position to draw the game for most of the last day.”

- Guardian Service