The West Indies cricket team is demanding penalties for umpires following what they perceive as a series of "blatant" wrong calls in favor of Australia during their recent Test match in Barbados. The team believes these errors could significantly impact players' careers.
The controversy stems from several decisions made by third umpire Adrian Holdstock during the first Test between West Indies and Australia. West Indies coach Daren Sammy met with match referee Javagal Srinath to discuss concerns arising from Holdstock's officiating, including during the ODI series in England.
Specifically, the West Indies were aggrieved by two decisions. The first involved West Indies captain Roston Chase, who was given out LBW off a delivery by Pat Cummins. Replays seemed to indicate that the ball might have deflected off his bat before hitting his pads, with UltraEdge showing a possible spike. However, Holdstock didn't consider it an edge and upheld the on-field umpire's decision. The second contentious decision involved Shai Hope, who was given out caught behind off Beau Webster. Replays appeared to show the ball touching the ground as Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey completed the catch, but Holdstock ruled it a fair catch.
These decisions have sparked outrage among West Indies players and fans, with some suggesting the team should have walked off the field in protest. Former West Indies fast bowler and commentator Ian Bishop also voiced his disagreement with the decision to give Chase out, stating that he thought the batsman had hit the ball.
Sammy expressed his frustration with the inconsistencies in decision-making, stating that when there is doubt, officials should err on the side of consistency. He added that he doesn't want to be in a situation where he starts doubting a particular umpire's impartiality but that repeated wrong decisions raise questions. Chase echoed this sentiment, saying it feels like "everything is against" the hosts and that it's frustrating because players are penalized harshly for their mistakes, while officials seemingly face no consequences for incorrect calls. He highlighted the potential impact on players' careers due to these errors.
Despite the controversial calls, the match itself has been entertaining. Australia were bowled out for 180 in their first innings, and the West Indies responded with 190. At the end of Day 2, Australia were 92/4 in their second innings.
