England expressed anger over a mistaken decision that allowed Alex Carey to avoid dismissal for an edge behind at the Adelaide Oval. Carey scored a crucial 106 runs as Australia reached 326-8 by the end of day one in the third Ashes Test, despite a clear edge that should have seen him out at 72.
During Australia’s batting at 245-6, Carey seemed to edge a delivery from Josh Tongue to Jamie Smith. Although England appealed, umpire Ahsan Raza ruled it not out, prompting Ben Stokes to request a review. The ‘Snicko’ technology indicated a spike, but it occurred slightly before the ball touched the bat, leading TV umpire Chris Gaffaney to uphold the on-field decision.
England was puzzled and frustrated by this decision, particularly due to a similar incident involving Jamie Smith in the first Test at Perth. The error was traced back to the technology operator using the wrong stump mic audio, causing a mismatch between sound and visuals.
BBG Sports acknowledged the mistake, attributing it to the incorrect selection of audio input during the process. Despite Carey’s admission of making contact with the ball, the controversy surrounding the incident remains. Carey, who had previously been involved in a contentious run-out of Jonny Bairstow in the 2023 Ashes, admitted to the edge but found humor in the situation.
England’s bowling coach, David Saker, hinted at a potential complaint to match referee Jeff Crowe regarding the incident and ongoing concerns about ‘Snicko’ technology discrepancies throughout the series. The incident sparked confusion among fans and commentators, with former England captain Michael Vaughan expressing astonishment at the situation.
The contentious decision has raised questions and concerns within the cricket community, highlighting the need for improved technology alignment and accuracy in officiating.