The simmering tensions of the Ashes series have boiled over into a fresh technology controversy, with the owner of cricket's Snicko system admitting an "operator error" likely cost England the crucial wicket of Australian centurion Alex Carey.
Controversial Decision Sparks England Fury
A fuming England camp was on Wednesday night weighing up a formal protest over the Decision Review System (DRS), convinced the technology failed them at a pivotal moment on day one of the third Test at Adelaide Oval. The tourists remain adamant that Carey, then on 72, was caught behind off the bowling of Ollie Robinson.
England reviewed the on-field 'not out' decision, but Carey survived after replays displayed a noise spike on the Snickometer before the ball had passed his bat. The glitch left the visitors bewildered and frustrated, with the match potentially hanging in the balance.
BBG Sports Accepts Full Responsibility
In a stunning admission after play, the technology's operators, BBG Sports, conceded the fault was most likely human. "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," BBG founder Warren Brennan stated.
"In light of this, BBG Sports takes full responsibility for the error." This marks the second significant Snicko drama of the series, following a lengthy review that led to England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith's dismissal in Perth.
Carey Survives to Score Century, Australia in Command
Carey himself expressed surprise at the decision, admitting he thought he had nicked the ball. "I thought there was a bit of a feather or some sort of noise when it passed the bat," Carey said post-play. "It looked a bit funny on the replay... Snicko obviously didn't line up, did it?"
Reprieved, the Australian wicketkeeper-batsman marched on to a vital score of 106, helping propel the home side to a commanding 8-326 at stumps as they push for a series-clinching 3-0 lead.
England's bowling coach, David Saker, voiced the team's profound disappointment and ongoing concerns about the system's calibration. "The boys were pretty confident," Saker said. "I think the calibration of snicko has been out quite a bit and that's been probably the case for the series... You'd think in this day and age, the technology is good enough." He confirmed the team may yet lodge an official complaint.
The incident occurred with Australia at 6-245, turning a promising position for England into a day dominated by the hosts, all under the cloud of a technological failure that has reignited debate over the reliability of the sport's officiating tools.
