Gayle and Ponting at odds over review system

(GETTY IMAGES)

Australia's crushing victory over West Indies in the opening Test in Brisbane had the opposing captains in agreement on many issues, but the ICC's decision review system (DRS) saw Ricky Ponting and Chris Gayle take different sides of the fence.

The DRS, in use for the first time in Australia after its full implementation by the ICC, has proved to be the major talking point from the first Test. Players from both camps have generally praised the DRS, which allows each side two unsuccessful reviews per innings. That trend stopped abruptly when Gayle renewed his criticism of the DRS.

"As I've said before, I'm not a big fan of it," said the West Indies captain after his team slumped to a comprehensive innings-and-65-run defeat late on day three. Maybe you guys [the media] can help me? I can't say too much."

However, when pressed, Gayle did advance on the reasons behind his frustrations. "The technology is always there, but sometimes mistakes are still made even with the technology – that's why I'm not a big fan of it," he said. "We might as well just go with the two umpires in the middle."

Ponting, an ardent supporter of the DRS, was in complete disagreement with Gayle's analysis about the potential for oversights.

"It's always going to be good for the game, whether or not every one is right is irrelevant," Ponting said. "We end up getting more correct decisions made in the game. I think we used ours pretty well.

"I think the umpires did a great job themselves and the referral system worked well as well."

Ponting backed the system, even given the case in his side's first innings when third umpire Mark Benson did not overturn a decision despite replays being quite supportive of Mitchell Johnson's claim that he did not produce an edge.