Key Takeaways
- The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is considering replacing the decision review system (DRS) technology Snicko with UltraEdge for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.
- The possibility of a change comes after controversy on the opening two days of the Adelaide Test, with players from both teams expressing unhappiness with Snicko’s performance.
- Cricket Australia’s free-to-air rights holder, Channel 7, has a DRS contract with Hawk-Eye Innovations, the company behind UltraEdge, which could be used as an alternative.
- A mid-series switch would require a financial settlement between Cricket Australia, Fox, and BBG Sports, the company operating DRS using Snicko.
Introduction to the Controversy
The England and Wales Cricket Board has held talks with Cricket Australia about the possibility of replacing the decision review system (DRS) technology Snicko with an alternative UltraEdge for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. This comes after controversy on the opening two days of the Adelaide Test, where players from both teams expressed unhappiness with Snicko’s performance. The DRS technology is the responsibility of the home board, which in practice is passed on to the main domestic broadcast rights holder, in this case Fox Sports. However, Cricket Australia’s free-to-air rights holder, Channel 7, has a DRS contract with Hawk-Eye Innovations, the company behind UltraEdge, which could be used as an alternative.
The Incidents that Sparked the Controversy
The controversy began on the first day of the Adelaide Test, when Alex Carey escaped after nicking to Jamie Smith off Josh Tongue on 72. An operator error produced an unreliable sound wave showing a gap between the noise and the ball passing the bat. The incident was widely criticized, and BBG Sports, the company operating DRS using Snicko, issued a statement accepting responsibility for the error. However, the controversy continued on the second day, when Mitchell Starc was overheard on the stump mic calling for Snicko to be "sacked" after a disputed catch. The England wicketkeeper, Jamie Smith, was then given out on review for an edge on another Pat Cummins short ball, even though the audio spike shown by Snicko did not match up with the pictures shown to the third umpire.
The Possible Solution
The possibility of replacing Snicko with UltraEdge has been discussed, with Cricket Australia and the ECB involved in the talks. However, a mid-series switch would require a financial settlement between Cricket Australia, Fox, and BBG Sports. The ECB is understood to be involved in the discussions, but the final decision rests elsewhere. Hawk-Eye’s contract with Channel 7 is understood to have led to discussions over a possible mid-series switch. While BBG’s Snicko is being used for the Ashes, Hawk-Eye’s UltraEdge is used in Australia in the Big Bash League, so the technology is available if an agreement can be reached.
Reaction from Cricket Australia and the ECB
Cricket Australia’s chief executive, Todd Greenberg, expressed his unhappiness with BBG’s handling of the Carey incident, stating that "there’s supposed to be a fail-safe with the technology and it didn’t happen. In my view that’s not good enough." He also said that Cricket Australia is "asking a lot of questions of the providers through the broadcasters and hoping to get some answers so we can be assured it won’t happen again." The ECB also took the matter to the match referee, Jeff Crowe, who restored the review they had lost as a result of the Carey incident. However, neither Cricket Australia nor the ECB commented at the end of day two, leaving the future of Snicko in the series uncertain.
Conclusion and Future Implications
The controversy surrounding Snicko’s performance has highlighted the need for accurate and reliable DRS technology in cricket. The possibility of replacing Snicko with UltraEdge is a significant development, and the outcome of the talks between Cricket Australia, the ECB, and the relevant parties will be closely watched. The use of DRS technology has become an integral part of the game, and any changes to the system will have significant implications for the sport. As the series continues, the performance of Snicko will be under close scrutiny, and any further controversies could lead to a re-evaluation of the technology used in the series. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that the game is fair and just, and that the technology used to support it is accurate and reliable.
