ICC moves to ease burden on umpires

It was among decisions taken by the ICC board at its two-day meeting in Dubai which ended on Wednesday.

8220;The Emirates elite panel of umpires will be expanded from 10 to 12 to cope with busy periods in the cricket calendar, allow the leading officials to spend less time away from home and also allow them to work on their skills and mentor up-and-coming officials in their own domestic set-up,8221; an ICC statement said.

The groupings for the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup, to be staged in England, were finalised based on where teams finished in the inaugural edition in September.

Group A: India, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe; Group B: Pakistan, England and the top associate team; Group C: Australia, Sri Lanka, West Indies; Group D: New Zealand, South Africa, second ranked associate team.