The Ashes 2025-26 series in Adelaide was plunged into chaos on Day 2 as technical glitches and inconsistent umpiring choices ignited a fierce debate over the way forward for the Resolution Evaluation System (DRS). The flashpoint occurred in the course of the morning session of the third Check, the place a sequence of contradictory Snicko readings left each groups fuming and prompted a blunt evaluation from veteran Australian pacer Mitchell Starc.
Mitchell Starc requires snicko expertise to be ‘Sacked’ after Jamie Smith incident on Day 2 of Adelaide Check
The reliability of “Snickometer” expertise reached its breaking level on Thursday after two separate incidents involving England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith uncovered deep flaws within the system’s calibration. Within the first occasion, a pointy brief ball from Pat Cummins appeared to brush Smith’s glove earlier than popping as much as Usman Khawaja at first slip; nonetheless, regardless of replays displaying the glove ripple, Snicko remained solely flat, main third umpire Chris Gaffaney to rule it as a helmet-strike. In a baffling reversal of luck simply two overs later, Smith was given out caught-behind after making an attempt a pull shot, despite the fact that slow-motion replays confirmed a visual hole between bat and ball.
Annoyed by a sequence of occasions that noticed a visual glove-impact ignored by the audio graph, Starc was captured on the stump microphone delivering a scathing verdict: “Snicko must be sacked. That’s the worst expertise there may be… they made a mistake the opposite day and made one other in the present day.” His outburst highlighted a rising insecurity within the expertise, which had already been underneath fireplace after a high-profile error on Day 1 that allowed Alex Carey to flee a transparent edge and go on to attain a match-defining century.
This time, the Snicko graph produced a spike a full body after the ball had handed the bat, which Gaffaney deemed adequate proof to uphold the dismissal. The England camp, led by a visibly fuming captain Ben Stokes, was left in disbelief as they watched their batter trudge off to a choice that defied the bare eye.
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Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins dominate as England’s hopes fade
Australia’s vice-like grip on the Ashes tightened considerably on Day 2 in Adelaide as England’s batting lineup crumbled underneath relentless stress from a rejuvenated residence assault. Resuming at 326/8, Australia added a significant 45 runs to achieve a ultimate complete of 371, headlined by Starc’s aggressive 54 and Jofra Archer’s spirited 5/53.
England’s response was speedy and disastrous, as they plummeted to 42/3 earlier than lunch, with Nathan Lyon eradicating Ben Duckett (29) and Ollie Pope (3) in a single historic over to surpass Glenn McGrath on the all-time wickets checklist. Pat Cummins, getting back from harm with figures of three/54, claimed the prize scalp of Joe Root for simply 19, whereas Harry Brook’s defiant 45 was reduce brief by a tactical masterstroke from Cameron Inexperienced.
A late-order collapse noticed the guests slide from 159/5 to a precarious 168/8 as Scott Boland (2/31) dismantled the tail with surgical precision. Solely a gritty, unbeaten 55-run partnership between captain Stokes (45* off 151 balls) and Archer (30*) prevented an entire capitulation, guiding England to 213/8 at stumps. Regardless of this rearguard motion, the vacationers stay a large 158 runs behind with simply 2 wickets in hand, going through the daunting actuality that Australia wants only some extra classes to successfully retain the urn.
Additionally READ: Adelaide Test: Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon put Australia on top with early wickets on Day 2 – Ashes 2025/26
