A fresh storm of controversy has erupted at the Adelaide Oval following a questionable Snicko decision that led to the dismissal of England wicket-keeper Jamie Smith during the third Ashes Test against Australia. The incident has reignited the debate surrounding the reliability of the Snickometer technology, with some critics labeling it the "worst technology ever".
The contentious moment occurred on the second day of the test. Smith, facing a short delivery from Pat Cummins, attempted a hook shot. The ball passed close to Smith, and Australia appealed for a catch behind. On-field umpire Nitin Menon referred the decision to third umpire Chris Gaffaney, without giving an on-field verdict. Replays were inconclusive, with visible daylight between the bat and ball. However, the Snicko registered a spike as the ball passed the bat, and Gaffaney adjudged Smith out, caught behind by keeper Alex Carey.
The decision left Smith visibly frustrated, shaking his head in disbelief. England captain Ben Stokes also appeared exasperated, standing with his arms crossed. The dismissal triggered immediate reactions, with many questioning the accuracy and consistency of the Snicko technology.
Adding fuel to the fire, this incident comes on the heels of another Snicko controversy during the same Test. On the first day, Alex Carey survived a caught-behind appeal off Josh Tongue. Despite a clear noise as the ball passed Carey's edge and a spike on Snicko, the TV umpire initially ruled not out, stating the spike appeared before the ball reached the bat. It was later revealed that the Snicko operator had made an error, using the stump mic from the bowler's end, which caused a delay and desynchronized the audio and video. BBG Sports, the company that owns Snicko, accepted responsibility for the mistake. Carey admitted he edged the delivery.
The repeated controversies have led to harsh criticism of the Snicko technology. Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc was caught on stump microphones saying "Snicko needs to be sacked. It's the worst technology ever". Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has also voiced concerns about the Decision Review System (DRS) in Australia, suggesting umpires don't fully trust the technology. England bowling coach David Saker expressed his doubts about the technology.
The ICC has reinstated England's review that was lost due to the error in Alex Carey's decision. However, the latest incident involving Jamie Smith has further intensified the scrutiny on Snicko and its role in the DRS.
The reliability of Snicko has been a long-standing issue, with inconsistencies and errors marring several key decisions in the past. While the technology aims to provide accurate audio-visual evidence for umpires, these recent incidents have raised serious questions about its effectiveness. With the Ashes series finely poised, the accuracy and trustworthiness of decision-making technology are under intense pressure, and calls for a review of the current systems are growing louder. Australia is the only country to use the Real-Time Snickometer (RTS), known as Snicko. All other nations employ a system called UltraEdge.
