NewsChase calls out 'so many questionable calls' in Barbados Test
Roston Chase did not hide his disappointment after West Indies fell 159 runs short in the first Test against Australia in Bridgetown. The newly-appointed captain believes a handful of marginal umpiring calls, all of which went against his side, shifted the match decisively.
Key moments first. Australia were bundled out for 180 on the opening day — a total that looked well below par once the pitch began to settle. West Indies reached 139 for 5 in reply, with Chase and Shai Hope picking their way through a tricky evening session. Then two decisions changed the mood.
Chase was lbw to Nathan Lyon, even though replays hinted at a faint inside edge. Soon after, Hope nicked a diving catch to Alex Carey that stood despite a blurred angle on the television feed. Earlier, Travis Head survived what West Indies thought was a regulation edge behind on 53. Put together, those moments left Chase feeling as though, in his words, “nothing is going your way”.
“This game is a frustrating one for me and for the team because we bowled out Australia for a relatively low score. We were very happy with that,” he said. “But then there were so many questionable calls in the game and none of them went our way. I mean, as a player, you’re out there, you’re giving your all, you’re fighting. And then nothing is going your way.”
Umpire Adrian Holdstock, on television duty, attracted most of the criticism. Head coach Daren Sammy raised the issue on day two, and Chase followed up after the result. The 32-year-old off-spinning all-rounder feels officials should face the same scrutiny as players.
“It’s frustrating because as players, when we mess up, when we get out of line, we’re penalised harshly,” he said. “But the officials, nothing ever happens to them. They just have a wrong decision or questionable decision and life just goes on.”
He went further, pointing out the long-term stakes. “You’re talking about guys’ careers. One bad decision could make or break a guy’s career. I just think that it should be an even playground in terms of when players step out of line, they’re penalised. I think that there should be some penalty put in place when you have blatant decisions going against you.”
Australia, to their credit, steadied. Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey added 219 in the visitors’ second dig, pushing the lead beyond reach. Pat Cummins praised them afterwards — “Those three were brilliant” — and, from there, West Indies never truly threatened.
“It could be heartbreaking,” Chase admitted. “You see what set batters can do on the wicket. The wicket is one where once you get in, you can get runs, but the hardest part is to get in. Me and Shai Hope were going well and then, obviously, we had some questionable calls. That really set us back in terms of creating a big lead on the total that Australia set.”
For balance, not every review favoured Australia; a late lbw against Beau Webster was overturned when ball-tracking showed it sliding past leg stump. Yet, in the moments that mattered most, the calls did lean one way.
West Indies now trail 1-0 in the two-match series. They have three days to regroup before the second Test in Antigua. Chase insists the dressing-room mood remains upbeat, despite the complaints. “I think it was a big factor in the game because me and Hope were going well. We even had a catch that went against us in the first innings when we were bowling. So, you never know what the score could have been, but I don’t want to harp on it.”
A little evidence, a little emotion, and now all eyes on the next Test — and, inevitably, the men in the middle wearing the white coats.
