In cricket, what is a "soft signal"?
VerifiedAnswer: The on-field umpire's initial, provisional decision communicated to the TV umpire during a review.
Explanation:
The soft signal is a crucial part of cricket's Decision Review System (DRS) that helps maintain the balance between on-field umpires and technology. When a fielding team appeals for a catch, run-out, or stumping that the on-field umpires are not completely certain about, they refer the decision to the third umpire for review using television replays and technology.
Before sending the decision upstairs, the on-field umpire must give their initial judgment about what they think happened. This is the soft signal - essentially their best guess based on what they saw with the naked eye. The umpire will signal either "out" or "not out" to communicate their provisional decision to the TV umpire who will conduct the review.
The soft signal becomes particularly important when the television replays are inconclusive or unclear. If the third umpire cannot find clear evidence to overturn the on-field umpire's soft signal after reviewing all available footage and technology, then the original soft signal stands as the final decision. This means the soft signal acts as a default position when technology cannot provide definitive proof either way.
Common situations where soft signals are used include:
• Catches taken close to the ground where it's unclear if the ball was caught cleanly
• Run-out attempts where the timing is very close
• Stumping decisions where the batsman's foot movement is marginal
• Catches near the boundary where it's uncertain if the fielder had control
The soft signal system has been designed to preserve the authority of on-field umpires while still utilizing available technology to make the most accurate decisions possible. It acknowledges that sometimes even with multiple camera angles and slow-motion replays, certain situations in cricket remain too close to call definitively, and in such cases, the on-field umpire's initial assessment carries significant weight in the final decision-making process.
