England’s frustration grew as a mistake led to Alex Carey escaping a dismissal for edging behind at Adelaide Oval. Carey’s pivotal 106 runs guided Australia to 326-8 on day one of the third Ashes Test, despite the fact that he should have been out at 72.
During a crucial moment with Australia at 245-6, Carey seemed to edge a delivery from Josh Tongue to Jamie Smith. England challenged the decision, but umpire Ahsan Raza ruled it not out, prompting Ben Stokes to request a review. Although the ‘Snicko’ technology indicated a sound when the ball passed the bat, it occurred slightly before the bat contact, leading TV umpire Chris Gaffaney to uphold the on-field decision.
England expressed bewilderment and anger over the ruling, citing a similar incident in the first Test where Jamie Smith was given out despite a delayed spike on ‘Snicko’. It was revealed that the error resulted from using the wrong stump mic audio during processing.
BBG, speaking to BBC Sport, admitted to the error and took full responsibility, stating that the incorrect audio selection caused the confusion. Despite Carey’s controversial past incident with Jonny Bairstow, where he ran him out in the 2023 Ashes, Carey admitted to the edge post-match, causing further discontent among England supporters.
Carey commented on the incident, mentioning the unusual sound timing and luck being on his side. The unresolved ‘Snicko’ issues prompted England’s bowling coach, David Saker, to hint at potential complaints to match referee Jeff Crowe.
The confusion sparked by the replay of the incident raised concerns among fans and commentators, with ‘Snicko’ discrepancies being a recurring topic throughout the series. Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed surprise at the situation, emphasizing the spike before the bat-ball contact.
The ongoing ‘Snicko’ controversy may lead to further actions as England considers addressing the issue for better clarity in future matches.