Ashes: Snicko controversy strikes again as England's Jamie Smith falls
18 Dec 2025

The Decision Review System (DRS) and Snicko technology have come under fire for the second consecutive day in the ongoing Ashes series.

The latest controversy erupted on Thursday when England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith was controversially given out by a third-umpire call during the second day of the 3rd Test in Adelaide.

It all happened after Smith missed a pull shot off Pat Cummins, leading Australia to appeal for a catch behind.

Third umpire's controversial decision
Umpire's call

On-field umpire Nitin Menon referred the decision to third-umpire Chris Gaffaney without giving an on-field verdict. Neither team opted for a DRS review.

Gaffaney ruled that the catch was taken cleanly by wicketkeeper Alex Carey and declared Smith out, even though Snicko showed a spike only after the ball had passed the bat.

This decision has sparked further debate over the reliability of Snicko technology in cricket.

England's previous DRS controversy
Past incident

The latest Snicko controversy comes a day after Australia batsman Alex Carey survived a caught-behind appeal.

The Snicko technology detected a sound, but it did not match the ball passing the bat during replays.

While the on-field decision went in Carey's favor, England reviewed the call.

Snicko detected a sound, but it didn't match the ball passing the bat during replays and upheld the original decision.

Snicko's reliability questioned in Ashes series
Technology scrutiny

The repeated issues with Snicko have raised questions over its reliability in the ongoing Ashes series.

The latest incident saw Smith shake his head in disbelief, while captain Ben Stokes also looked disappointed. The duo was perplexed as the decision was reviewed.

Stokes kept his composure but clearly disagreed with the call, further highlighting their dissatisfaction with this controversial technology.

Snicko's role in DRS under scrutiny
Technology debate

The latest set of controversies has once again put Snicko's role in DRS under the spotlight.

In pivotal moments that could turn the tide, there are calls for clearer guidelines and more consistency from this technology.

In a separate incident on Day 2, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc was heard on the stump microphone criticizing Snicko, saying it "needs to be sacked" and calling it "the worst technology there is" after two perceived errors in two days.