Australia's Travis Head survived a controversial caught behind appeal off the bowling of Shamar Joseph during the first Test in Barbados on Wednesday (June 25).
Travis Head controversially survives against Shamar Joseph
The incident took place in the 46th over of the first innings. Coming around the wicket, Joseph landed the ball on a length outside off stump. The left-handed Head attempted to cut, but it stayed a tad low, passing very closely under the blade.
Wicketkeeper Shai Hope collected the ball low down, West Indies' fielders went up in appeal for caught behind. On-field umpires Nitin Menon and Richard Kettleborough sent the decision to TV umpire Adrian Holdstock to review if the catch had been taken cleanly.
UltraEdge technology first confirmed that Head had indeed nicked the ball, before Holdstock used replays to adjudge whether the ball had bounced or not before Hope collected it.
Also read: Explained: Why Shai Hope has been recalled to West Indies' Test team after 1,313-day absence
The ball appeared to bounce on the finger of Hope's glove before settling in his hands, but the third umpire determined that it had touched the ground before he caught it. “That won't go down well,” noted broadcast commentator Ian Bishop as the decision came up on the big screen at the stadium.
As it happened, Head was dismissed for 59 just four overs later in similar fashion, slashing at a Justin Greaves delivery only to nick through to Hope, this time with no doubt over whether the ball had carried.
Australia hit back on 14-wicket day in Barbados
Earlier in the day, Australia skipper Pat Cummins had elected to bat first, only for the visitors to lose Sam Konstas, Cameron Green and Josh Inglis with the score still at 22. Head and Usman Khawaja (47) then put on 89 for the fourth wicket before they slipped from 111-4 to 180 all out shortly after tea. Jayden Seales (5-60) and Shamar Joseph (4-46) shared nine wickets between them.
1st Test, West Indies vs Australia
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West Indies' start with the bat was not much better, as Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell were both dismissed by Mitchell Starc within the first seven overs of the innings. Cummins then accounted for Keacy Carty, and Josh Hazlewood cleaned up nightwatch Jomel Warrican to leave the hosts 57-4 at stumps, with debutant Brandon King (23*) and captain Roston Chase (1*) in the middle.
Image credit: X / @FanCode
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