England’s cricket team is preparing to take up concerns with the International Cricket Council after a controversial Decision Review System (DRS) call in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.
On the opening day of the match, England believed they had trapped Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey on 72 when he appeared to edge a delivery from Josh Tongue. However, the on-field umpire ruled Carey not out and a review was unable to overturn the decision, even though audio technology seemed to show a spike when the ball passed the bat. Investigations later revealed that the sound feed had been processed from the wrong microphone, a mistake the technology provider has since admitted.
The error allowed Carey to continue batting and he went on to score his first Ashes century, finishing with 106 runs a knock that significantly boosted Australia’s first innings total.
In the wake of the incident, England officials held talks with match referee Jeff Crowe. The ICC acknowledged that a technology failure had occurred and reinstated one of England’s lost reviews under the playing conditions that allow a review to be returned following confirmed technical issues.
England’s head coach, Brendon McCullum, and team management now intend to raise the matter with the ICC more formally. The discussions will centre on how the DRS systems are deployed and whether steps can be taken to avoid similar controversies in the future.
The debate has reignited broader questions about the reliability of edge-detection technology, particularly the Real-Time Snickometer used in Australia, which some players and analysts believe lacks the consistency of alternative systems used elsewhere. Former players and commentators have weighed in, suggesting that technology should be dependable enough not to leave umpires guessing during critical moments.
As the Ashes series continues, the focus will not just be on the cricket, but also on how technology and umpiring decisions shape one of sport’s most historic rivalries.
