England is under fire for attempts to send encrypted messages to Captain Eoin Morgan while the team is on the ground.
During the last T20 international game against South Africa this week, English analyst Nathan Leamon was caught by television cameras holding up large cards on clipboards on the team balcony.
Cards with messages marked “4E” and “2C” were held up to give Morgan more information about possible matches between batsmen and bowlers.
“It’s a little help, a suggestion,” said wicket keeper Jos Buttler after the game. “Eoin and Nathan are working closely on the analysis. It’s just a little experiment.
“Eoin is one of the best captains in the world, a fantastic, instinctive captain and the balance is good.”
Former English skipper Michael Vaughan condemned the idea and tweeted: “Signals sent by an analyst on a balcony to the captain on the field !!!! The world has officially gone mad !!! “
Writing in his UK column telegraphHe said he never thought about such a move while leading the team.
“If I were the captain of England and the analyst suggested that I send me messages on signals from the dugout, he would take a short break,” he wrote.
“Absolutely no chance that I will let that happen. I love innovation and always encourage new ideas and thoughts, but there is very little an analyst can tell you from the sidelines that you are new to.
“I would be a little worried that Eoin Morgan, a World Cup captain, and Jos Buttler from behind the stumps cannot instinctively react to what is happening on the field.”
England said the coded system had been clarified with the ICC referee prior to the start of the game in case there were suggestions for match fixing.
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