THE inventor and patent-holder of Hot Spot has lost patience with the cricket's ''mind-boggling labyrinth'' of bullying and bickering over the Decision Review System, and has threatened that this Ashes series will be the last time his product is available to umpires and match referees.

The infrared imaging program that proves points of contact between the ball and an object is a critical component of the DRS. But Warren Brennan, the owner of BBG Sports, said the unwillingness of the International Cricket Council or national cricket boards to pay to use the expensive technology had pushed his resolve to the edge.

''I've already told them that we won't be supplying Hot Spot to the World Cup next year, even for the semis or finals,'' Brennan said. ''We're just not going to go.

''We supply broadcasters with an entertainment product. But if the cricket boards want a feed of that for adjudication purposes, they should contribute to the costs. The only thing I can do is pull back on it. The Ashes could be the last hurrah for us because I just don't know what else to do.

''We're continuing to invest in improving the product but we're just not seeing anything back from the boards or the ICC. We'll keep working for the broadcaster but I don't think that longer term we'll be providing our technology for DRS. It makes me feel sick but … there's got to be a bit of reasonable behaviour here.''

Hot Spot was designed for Channel Nine and BSkyB. Big money was invested, no corners were cut, and the product is a success. It uses four military-grade cameras - two front-on and two side-on - that cost about $10,000 a day to run. Brennan has ordered new cameras that will provide better results.

He has not had trouble in Australia because his full fee has been met by Nine, which can then choose how to use it, including providing the feed for the DRS. Nine funds Hot Spot because it attaches the concept to a major sponsor. ''But in the UK we're not getting the full rate because they're not allowed to have in-program sponsors,'' Brennan said. ''New Zealand's a bit different again. There's some New Zealand Tests in January, and we're going to supply the broadcaster with Hot Spot, but not for the DRS. And beyond New Zealand it becomes even harder.

''You've got the BCCI in India, who just refuse to be told what to do by anybody. They believe they can do whatever they want. It's a farce.

''All I know is that I'm not going to put up half a million bucks to buy a kit for India when there's so many pitfalls in trying to get those people to pay anything towards it. I've already been told by BSkyB that when England plays India next year there won't be any DRS. The Indians have already bullied them into that.

''After two years, we haven't resolved any issues of how this technology is going to be funded. Some broadcasters say they're willing to fund half of it but the cricket boards and ICC don't seem to be interested at all in putting any money into it.''

The obvious process would be for the ICC to buy the technology to use for the DRS in the interests of improving the sport. It would then negotiate the financial aspects with the national boards. Brennan sees events heading in a different direction.

''It's pretty obvious that they now want to shuffle it into their next round of TV rights, and say to the broadcasters, 'If you want our cricket rights, you're going to have to supply this technology for the umpires to use,''' he said. ''But what will happen is they'll end up getting less money for the rights because whatever the broadcasters offer will be less the DRS component costs.''

As the bickering continues, Brennan is becoming disillusioned. ''I don't like playing this game but these last 12 months have been a real distraction trying to deal with these people,'' he said.

''I don't know what to do now. I feel sorry, because I enjoy cricket … but it's amazing to see firsthand this labyrinth of what really happens in the sport. It's mind-boggling.''