Garner labels review system as a 'gimmick'

West Indies legend Joel Garner has labelled the controversial umpire decision review system currently being introduced into Test cricket "a gimmick" and claimed it is "not working".

The review system allows each team a maximum of two unsuccessful challenges per innings against umpires' decisions but West Indies Cricket Board director Garner, known as "Big Bird" during his days as a fearsome fast bowler, believes the use of technology in the game has gone too far.

"I can understand the use of TV technology in terms of run outs, stumpings and that sort of thing, like whether the ball has pitched between wicket and wicket or outside leg-stump, if the umpire has doubts," he told the Trinidad & Tobago Express.

"But not for every little thing you can think about to question the judgment of the umpire.

"You still want the umpires to use their own judgment. If you're going to use it, it should only be used specifically for one or two things but not to question every little thing that happens with the umpires."

English official Mark Benson's withdrawal one day into the second Test between Australia and the West Indies was widely put down to controversies relating to the review system, though he quickly attributed it to ill health.

Benson's decision to give Windies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul not out in the first innings was overturned by third umpire Asad Rauf despite television evidence failing to conclusively contradict the original verdict.