SPORT and technology are finally catching up as bed buddies and not before time.

Football may still be lagging behind, mainly due to the refusal of the antiquated FIFA governing body who seem more interested in picking fights with the English Football Association than discussing how to take football into the 21st century.

But every effort should be done to use what is now readily available and our national game should be dragged kicking and screaming to the level of other sports.

Cricket, alongside rugby, has long been a pioneer of using the latest technology.

From the ‘snick-o-meter’ to Hawkeye, every effort has been made in recent years to help the two on-field umpires.

I have always admired the officials in cricket growing up watching the game. Umpires have one of the most difficult tasks in officialdom for me.

They have to keep high concentration levels for hours on end, judging whether an 80mph delivery is going to hit the wickets or not in an instant for lbw decisions.

Now, at least, they get help if needed from the third umpire sat in front of a television screen back in the stands.

It still amazes me, though, that more than 90 per cent of the decisions are still backed up on referral.

The only frustrating thing for us fans in the stands is the wait while the deliberation goes on – the anticipation waiting for the big screen verdict to state ‘OUT’.

That could be about to change, however, with plans to air discussions between the on-field umpires and the third official on a trial basis in Australia's one-day series against South Africa which start in Perth today.

It has worked in rugby union and league so why not cricket?

I think it is a great idea and will only aid the understanding for fans and players.

The first time I ever saw referees call decisions out loud to the paying public was back in the 1990s watching American football on TV. It was something different to see officials on the microphone explaining their call.

We now see it in a raft of sports and it is a good thing.

FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has long refrained from following the trend in football believing it will dilute the traditions of the game.

He thinks the beautiful game should be the same at all levels from Sunday League to Champions League.

The reality is that it never can be – the stakes are too high financially at the top level.

Goal-line technology has been a concession and was again proven to be beneficial last weekend when Liverpool lost to Chelsea. Why not take it a step further and have someone looking at big penalty calls?

Now that would have the divers quaking in their coloured boots.