ICC accepts technology error, reinstates England review after Alex Carey appeal in Adelaide Test

The ICC reinstated England’s DRS after accepting that a technical fault occurred on the first day of the third Ashes Test in Australia. Following discussions between England’s team management and match referee Jeff Crowe, the technology provider admitted that an operator error may have denied England a wicket.

The controversy erupted over Alex Carey’s not-out decision, where Snicko failed to function correctly during the review. Carey, who was batting on 72, survived a caught-behind appeal off Josh Tongue after the on-field umpire turned it down. The visiting team reviewed the decision and referred it to the third umpire.

While the audio picked up a noticeable sound, replays suggested it came before the ball reached the bat. The TV umpire decided to stick with the original not-out call. Carey went on to make the most of the opportunity, eventually scoring a century.

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England Review Reinstated After Technology Failure

As per ESPNCricinfo, the visitors had their lost review reinstated after officials acknowledged a technological issue during the controversial appeal involving Alex Carey. Following the incident, Brendon McCullum and team manager Wayne Bentley met with match referee Jeff Crowe to raise concerns.

"ESPNcricinfo understands that Brendon McCullum and Wayne Bentley, England's head coach and team manager respectively, held talks with Jeff Crowe, the match referee, after the close of play to air their grievances. The ECB will also encourage the ICC to review their systems to improve their decision-making processes in future," the report read.

ICC Rules Allow Review Reinstatement After Technology Failure

The ICC’s playing conditions allow a team to get a review back if a decision cannot be completed properly because of a technology failure. This rule has been used before, including during England’s tour of India in 2021, when a similar mistake occurred.

Match referee Jeff Crowe decided that the English team’s lost review should be reinstated. As a result, England had two reviews available when play resumed on the second day in Adelaide, with Australia continuing their innings at 326 for 8.

The incident also drew attention to the two different sound-based edge-detection systems approved by the ICC. Australia use the RTS system, while UltraEdge is used in other parts of the world.

Umpires Can’t Trust the Technology - Ricky Ponting

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting questioned the reliability of the RTS system. He said that match officials lack confidence in the technology, which makes decision-making harder for third umpires. Ponting added that umpires should not have to rely on instinct when reviewing incidents.

"This technology that we are using here is simply not as good as technology that's used in other countries," Ponting said while commentating on Channel 7. "You talk to the umpires, they'll tell you the same thing. They can't trust it.

"They've got a third umpire sitting up in there that's got to make decisions based on what he's seeing that the technology is providing, and sometimes they have a gut feel that it's not right. That can't happen. You've got to be able to trust the technology that's in place."

Also read: Alex Carey’s shock confession exposes Snicko failure that saved him; Ashes controversy erupts