Cricket Fraternity In Disbelief As David Warner's Dismissal Sparks Controversy

David Warner and controversy go hand-in-hand. The Australia opener has a knack of getting involved in controversies and has found himself in such situation again. But this time around, the under-pressure Australian is not the culprit. David Warner’s dismissal in the ongoing fifth Ashes Test has landed in controversy.

Umpire Marais Erasmus kept his finger down when Warner slashed at a short, wide ball from Jofra Archer. The bowler did not look too impressed and made a half-hearted appeal. However, England skipper Joe Root decided to opt for the review.

Initial replays suggested there was a gap between bat and ball. But to everyone’s utter surprise,  the Ultra Edge showed a spike and the third umpire instructed Erasmus to change his decision and give Warner out caught behind for five. Unsurprisingly, the decision attracted criticism on Twitter.

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The viewers took to Twitter to use the shadows of the dismissal to justify their claims, stating that Warner should not have been given out. One image showed there was a gap between the shadows of the bat and ball at the exact time Ultra Edge was showing the spikes.

Former Australia fast-bowler Ryan Harris and former England skipper Michael Vaughan led the criticism. Here are some of the reactions:

Have to hit it to be out! pic.twitter.com/8V0XNqOLUq

— Ryan Harris (@r_harris413) September 13, 2019

Something didn’t seem right about that one … https://t.co/q5Nr6GNx86

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 13, 2019

Shadow shows a gap pic.twitter.com/sqmZgqzWY2

— Sandy Lanceley (@sandylanceley) September 13, 2019

Geeze I know there’s a spike but I can’t see how he has hit that. Looks like a gap between bat and ball.

— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) September 13, 2019

Terrible use of technology. Once they send it to ultraedge the third ump loses control of the process. He had to chuck that out before then. We need specialist TV umpires. #Ashes

— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) September 13, 2019

Under ICC playing conditions .. the snicko is allowed a frame before and after impact… to allow the 3rd umpire to give the proper decision https://t.co/A41Yqq8cpT

— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) September 13, 2019

Vaughan also criticised the decision while speaking on air. The former batsman insisted that Warner did not hit the ball.

“I honestly don’t think he’s hit it,” Vaughan said in commentary for the BBC. “I know the Ultra Edge shows it but when you see the actual replays it looks to me like it’s not near the bat.”

Another ex-England skipper Nasser Hussain also echoed the same sentiments, saying that he too thought Warner out not out. Former Australia spinner Shane Warner also had the same opinion but that since Warner did not really show any sort of disappointment, he may have known he hit it.

“It was interesting just working out if the noise matched up with when the bat passed the ball,” Warne said while commentating on Sky Sports. “I didn’t think he hit it when you look at all the technology.

“But then his reaction walking off looked like he wasn’t all that disappointed, so you have to go on the technology and say maybe he got a tiny feather on it,” he added.