England expressed frustration over a mistaken human error that allowed Alex Carey to avoid dismissal for edging behind at the Adelaide Oval. Carey scored a vital 106 runs as Australia ended day one of the third Ashes Test at 326-8, despite a missed opportunity when he should have been out on 72.
During a pivotal moment when Australia was at 245-6, Carey seemed to have nicked a delivery from Josh Tongue to Jamie Smith. Despite England’s appeal, umpire Ahsan Raza ruled it not out, prompting Ben Stokes to request a review. The technology indicated a spike on the ‘Snicko’ device used to detect bat contact, but the spike occurred before the ball actually hit the bat, leading TV umpire Chris Gaffaney to uphold the on-field decision.
England was bewildered and angered by the decision, especially considering a similar incident involving Jamie Smith in the first Test at Perth. It was revealed that the technology operator mistakenly used audio from the wrong stump mic, causing a discrepancy between sound and video.
In response to the controversy, BBG Sports took responsibility for the error, attributing it to the incorrect selection of audio input. Following the match, Carey, who had previously been involved in a controversial run-out incident, admitted to making contact with the ball, acknowledging the unusual sound timing during the replay.
The incident raised concerns among England’s coaching staff, with bowling coach David Saker hinting at a potential complaint to match referee Jeff Crowe. The ‘Snicko’ technology has been a subject of debate throughout the series, with discrepancies between audio and video feeds.
Fans and commentators were left puzzled by the incident replay, with former England captain Michael Vaughan expressing surprise at the situation during the BBC Test Match Special coverage. The ongoing debate surrounding technology accuracy and match decisions may lead to further discussions and potential improvements in future matches.