Ashes Snicko Drama: Why Mitchell Starc Calls It "Worst Technology Ever"

Snicko continued to be a centre of attention during the ongoing Ashes series. On day one, the controversy erupted over decision to give Aussie keeper Alex Carey not out at 72, as after a caught behind appeal from English fielders following an edge, the decision was reviewed. The snicko showed a noticeable spike, but way before it passed Carey's bottom edge. TV umpire Chris Gaffaney explained that the spike happened "before the bat" and that the ball seemed to have "gone well under" the bat, adding, "There's a clear gap, no spike." Carey was adjudged to be 'not out', and he went on to score his first-ever Ashes ton, costing England big time. Now, after the opening day controversy, there have been two more controversies.

On day two, in the 44th over, a delivery by Pat Cummins was perceived to be hitting Jamie's glove by the Aussies as it landed into Usman Khawaja's hands at slip. With Khawaja not sure that the catch was clean, it was clean, the on-field umpire Nitin Menon sent the decision upstairs for a check. The ball did not carry to Khawaja cleanly. The glove had moved when the ball passed through it, but snicko did not show it, and third umpire Chris Gaffaney concluded that the ball missed the glove and deflected off his helmet. Jamie was adjudged not out.

Speaking on stump mic, Starc was captured saying as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, "Snicko needs to be sacked. It's the worst technology ever," Starc said.

But in the next over by Cummins, the 46th of the innings, Smith tried to pull but was caught behind by Carey. Menon sent it upstairs, without making a decision or either of the teams taking a review. The catch did carry to Carey, but snicko showed a spike a frame after the ball had passed the bat and it was enough for Gaffeney to give Smith 'out'.

At the end of the first day's play, Carey admitted there was a "bit of a feather or noise" when the ball passed his bat, but he did not walk because snicko failed to give the right picture.

"I thought there was a bit of a feather or some sort of noise when it passed the bat. It looked a bit funny on the replay, didn't it, with the noise coming early? If I were given out, I think I would have reviewed it - probably not confidently though. It was a nice sound as it passed the bat, yeah," the Aussie wicketkeeper batter said post Day 1.

Carey said that he was "clearly not" a 'walker', and added: "Snicko obviously didn't line up, did it? That's just the way cricket goes sometimes, isn't it? You have a bit of luck, and maybe it went my way today."

According to ESPNcricinfo, Warren Brennan, the founder of BBG Sports, who provides the technology used in Tests in Australia, told The Age: "Given that Alex Carey admitted he had hit the ball in question, the only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that the Snicko operator at the time must have selected the incorrect stump mic for audio processing."

"In light of this, BBG Sports takes full responsibility for the error," he added.

- ANI