There seems to be no end to the ‘Snicko’ drama in the ongoing 3rd Ashes Test in Adelaide as another incident has come to light after Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey survived a controversial call on Day 1. On Day 1, the controversy erupted after Carey, who was batting on 72 at the time, was given not out despite a spike on the ball tracker. As England referred the decision to the third umpire, the ‘Snicko’ showed a noticeable spike-but well before the ball passed Carey’s bottom edge. Carey went on to hit a hundred and later admitted that he thought he had hit the ball.
However, a similar incident took place on Day 2, with England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith on the receiving end of another ‘Snicko’ howler.
On the first ball of the 46th over, Smith tried to pull Australia captain Pat Cummins over midwicket but ended up missing the ball. While Cummins was confident that Smith had nicked it, on-field umpire Nitin Menon asked the third umpire to check whether the catch behind the stumps was clean.
Replays showed a clear gap between the bat and the ball, yet there was a spike on the ‘Snicko’, resulting in the third umpire giving Smith his marching orders. Both Smith and England captain Ben Stokes, who was at the non-striker’s end, were seen arguing with Menon over the decision.
After the incident on Day 1, BBG Sports, the supplier of the ‘Snicko’ technology, suggested that an operator had “selected the incorrect stump mic for audio processing” and took “full responsibility for the error.” The apology also prompted England bowling coach David Saker to express doubts about the technology.
“We shouldn’t be talking about this after a day’s play; it should just be better than that,” Saker said. “In this day and age, you’d think the technology is good enough to pick things up like that.”