Does DRS really give the benefit of the doubt to umpires over batsmen when judging LBWs?
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It is not uncommon in sport for rule changes or technological innovations to lead to a brief period of apprehension among the game’s devotees. But, few tweaks can claim to have the enduringly confusing effect on cricket fans that the Decision Reveiw System (DRS) has had. Since it’s inception, it has become common wisdom that in adjudicating Leg Before Wicket (LBW) appeals, the DRS has upturned one of the game’s unwritten rules by giving the benefit of doubt to the umpire, instead of the batsman. In this essay I examine this claim and explain how the DRS really works.