RIVAL captains Ricky Ponting and Shaun Pollock will take their opponents' word over a TV replay if there are disputed catches in tonight's Super Series one-dayer at Telstra Dome.
The captains made a handshake agreement last night and will find out today if the ICC will endorse it.
If it does, on-field umpires Simon Taufel and Aleem Dar won't ask third umpire Rudi Koertzen to adjudicate on contentious catches.
Ponting regularly has asked rival captains to take the word of the fieldsman, but the suggestion has often been rejected.
The Johnnie Walker Super Series one-dayers will be the first time in Australia teams have a "super sub" to call on, while two blocks of five-over fielding restrictions – in addition to the 10 at the start of each innings – will be enforced.
The ICC is using the series to trial the extended use of video technology for contentious decisions.
Umpires will be able to consult the video umpire on lbw appeals, suspect catches behind the wicket and to check if a batsman had been dismissed off a no-ball.
But, unlike the ruling playing conditions when the third umpire makes the decision for stumpings and run outs, the third umpire will give his call to the field umpire for a final decision.
Ponting said he had concerns the trial would slow the game down.
"As captains, you are on a pretty strict time frame to get through your overs," he said.
"If it makes the umpires' decision-making easier and better, then that's what they are after."
Pollock expects teething problems.
"If someone is caught at third slip, for example, and the umpire thinks it was quite close to a no-ball, he can still refer it and, obviously, the play has to stop," he said.
"It's a dead ball so, if the guys starts to walk off, he's not run out.
"There's a lot of theory and a lot of permutations."
If the trial is successful, it will be considered for Test and one-day use.
The World XI ($1.72) was slightly ahead of Australia ($2) in favouritism with TAB Sportsbet last night.
While the composite side may have a galaxy of stars to call on, Pollock warned his men not to rely on a teammate to provide a match-winning hand.
"You get superstars together and sometimes you can leave it up to the next guys coming in," he said.
"You look up and there's a huge batting line-up and you think `I can go'.
"But you need to have guys taking responsibility and playing the roles that they play for their own sides.
"That's what made them such successful players and made them match winners.
"Someone might need to bat through and there are a couple of blokes who do it pretty well. Other guys are quite attacking.
"We've had some good discussions and I think the guys' minds are very much at ease and settled as to what's expected of them."
- JON PIERIK