England expressed frustration over a mistake that allowed Alex Carey to escape with a crucial edge at the Adelaide Oval. Carey’s innings of 106 helped Australia reach 326-8 on day one of the third Ashes Test, but he should have been out on 72.
The Australian wicket-keeper seemed to edge a delivery from Josh Tongue to Jamie Smith when Australia was at 245-6. Despite England’s appeal, umpire Ahsan Raza ruled it not out, leading Ben Stokes to request a review.
Upon review, there was a spike on the ‘Snicko’ indicating contact with the bat, but it occurred just before the ball passed the bat, leading TV umpire Chris Gaffaney to uphold the on-field decision.
England was puzzled and upset by the decision, especially as a similar incident had led to Jamie Smith being given out in the first Test in Perth. It was later revealed that a mistake by the technology operator resulted in the incorrect selection of stump mic audio, causing the sound mismatch.
According to BBG, the sports technology provider, the error was due to the wrong stump mic selection during audio processing. Carey, already unpopular with England fans for a past controversial incident, admitted to hitting the ball in question, further fueling the controversy.
Carey’s post-match comments about the incident highlighted the sound discrepancy and his luck in escaping dismissal. England’s bowling coach hinted at potential complaints to the match referee regarding the ongoing issues with the ‘Snicko’ technology during the series.
The replay of the incident created confusion among fans and commentators, with concerns raised about the alignment of ‘Snicko’ with TV visuals. Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed surprise at the spike in the audio just before the ball reached the bat.