The operator of Snicko technology used during the Ashes has admitted to an error that allowed Australia’s Alex Carey to escape a possible dismissal on the opening day of the third Test against England in Adelaide.
Carey went on to score a crucial 106 as Australia posted 326-8, but his innings included a controversial moment when he was on 72. England appealed for a caught-behind off Josh Tongue, and on-field umpire Ahsan Raza turned the appeal down. Although stump microphones registered a sound, replays suggested the noise occurred before the ball passed Carey’s bat, leading TV umpire Chris Gaffaney to uphold the original decision.
BBG Sports, the company that owns and operates Snicko, later acknowledged that a technical mistake had been made. In a statement to BBC Sport, the company said the error occurred because the wrong stump microphone was selected during audio processing. BBG Sports accepted full responsibility, adding that Carey himself had admitted to making contact with the ball.
Carey confirmed after the day’s play that he believed there was a faint noise as the ball passed his bat. He said the replay looked unusual, with the sound appearing early, and admitted that while he might have reviewed the decision if given out, he would not have done so with complete confidence. Joking about cricket’s tradition of players walking after edging the ball, Carey said luck sometimes plays its part in the game.
The incident added another chapter to Carey’s Ashes controversies, following his involvement in Jonny Bairstow’s stumping during the 2023 series. Carey remarked that in sport, there are always different perspectives, depending on which side one supports.
England’s Australian bowling coach David Saker raised concerns over the reliability of Snicko throughout the series and indicated the issue could be taken up with the match referee. He said the England players were confident Carey had hit the ball and questioned the calibration of the technology, calling it a key decision at an important stage of the match.
England, captained by Ben Stokes, is already 2-0 down in the five-match Ashes series and now faces an uphill challenge to remain competitive.
