England will start day two of the Adelaide Test with their full quota of two reviews, the match referee Jeff Crowe agreeing that a technology fault – and not the bowlers – robbed them of Alex Carey’s wicket on the opening afternoon.
England’s head coach Brendon McCullum and team manager Wayne Bentley asked to see Crowe soon after stumps. According to team sources, the pair were measured but firm, outlining their view that the Decision Review System (DRS) had “simply failed to do its job”. The ECB will now push the ICC for a wider look at how the real-time Snickometer (RTS) is operated.
What actually happened
Carey, on 72 at the time, threw his hands at a Josh Tongue delivery that shaped away outside off. On-field umpire Ahsan Raza said “not out”. TV umpire Chris Gaffaney checked RTS, saw a spike several frames before the ball had passed the bat, and stuck with Raza: “There’s a clear gap, no spike.” Carey survived and went on to 106.
After play the left-hander admitted, half-smiling, that fortune had favoured him. He felt he had edged it, confessing he’d had “a bit of luck” and was “clearly not” a walker.
The technology supplier, BBG Sports, later released a short statement saying an operator had “selected the incorrect stump mic for audio processing” and that they took “full responsibility for the error”.
England reaction
Bowling coach David Saker did not hide his frustration. “We shouldn’t be talking about this after a day’s play, it should just be better than that,” he said. “In this day and age, you’d think the technology is good enough to pick things up like that.”
Privately, England’s analysts say they have questioned RTS consistency all series. One staff member described it as “a bit of a lottery” when crowd noise rises, though no one is accusing officials of bad faith.
Why the review comes back
ICC playing conditions allow a review to be restored if “the technology fails”. There is precedent: Ajinkya Rahane survived a similar glitch in Chennai in 2021, and India were also given their referral back. Crowe has followed that line here.
What it means for the match
Australia will resume on 326 for eight, Carey’s bonus 34 runs a little salt in the English wounds. Tongue, who bowled with good pace, did not hide his irritation but understands the rules leave no avenue to retrospectively change the decision.
England now have two reviews in hand; Australia have just the tail to add a few more. With a flat surface and a hot forecast, the larger issue may yet be whether England’s batting can match Carey’s luck rather than the paperwork around Snicko.
The ICC has declined to comment for the moment, saying only that a fuller statement may follow once the match is over.
A small glitch, then, but one that again reminds everyone that technology is only as infallible as the humans pressing the buttons.
