There was more DRS drama on day two of the Adelaide Ashes Test, with Australia upset not to have Joe Root caught behind following a lengthy review.
Alex Carey, reprieved incorrectly following a Snickometer operator error on day one, was once again at the centre of the action. He claimed a catch off England’s former captain only for on-field umpire Ahsan Raza to turn down the appeal. Australia reviewed, but while replays revealed a thick inside-edge onto the pad, it was less clear whether the ball had carried through to the wicketkeeper without bouncing.
After a lengthy review checking both side-on and front-on angles multiple times, TV umpire Chris Gaffaney adjudicated that the ball had bounced just before reaching Carey’s gloves, and gave Root not out.
Speaking on TNT Sports, former England off-spinner Graeme Swann felt that the ball had “quite clearly hit the ground” though Australia's fielders weren't alone in thinking the catch had been clean.
Regardless, Swann was displeased by Australia’s players complaints to the officials following the decision.
“Just a quick note on one or two of the Australian players going up to the on-field umpires after the off-field umpire’s given it not out: That is so out of order it’s ridiculous,” he said. “It’s been given not out. You can be as petulant as you want to yourself. But marching up to the umpire and demanding an explanation and saying ‘our wicketkeeper wouldn’t cheat’ is when the skipper needs to get hold of his team. He needs to get everyone in and say, ‘look, it’s happened, it’s bounced, let’s move on’.”
England given review back following Snicko mea culpa
The incident didn’t quite compare to the day one controversy, with Carey surviving to make a first Ashes century despite him and England’s fielders feeling he had hit the ball before being caught behind. He was originally given not out on the field, with England’s review revealing a spike on Snicko, but before the ball had reached the bat, and so the on-field decision stood. Speaking after play, Carey admitted he thought he had hit the ball, with BBG Sports, who implement the Snickometer technology, owning up to an operator error.
England had their review reinstated, in accordance with ICC protocols following a technological mishap, though they had no cause to use it as they eventually bowled Australia out for 371. Had Carey been given out, Australia would have been 245-7. He added another 34 runs, bringing up the first Ashes century by an Australian wicketkeeper in over a decade, with England slipping to 54-3 at lunch on day two to hand the hosts the ascendancy again.
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