A significant technological error involving the Snicko review system proved costly for England on the opening day of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, granting Australian batsman Alex Carey a crucial reprieve that he later converted into a match-shaping century.
The Controversial Moment and the Failed Review
The incident occurred when Alex Carey, then on 72 runs, attempted a shot at a delivery from England's Josh Tongue. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith took the catch, prompting an immediate and confident appeal from the English team, who were certain they had heard a noise as the ball passed the bat.
Umpire Ahsan Raza remained unconvinced and gave the batter not out, leading England to call for a Decision Review System (DRS) check. The Snicko technology, which analyses audio frequencies to detect edges, displayed a clear spike. However, in a critical failure, the audio spike appeared two frames before the ball passed the bat on the visual footage, rendering it unreliable as evidence.
Carey was therefore given not out on review. He later admitted to feeling a slight touch, or "feather," on the ball. "Snicko obviously didn't line up, did it," Carey remarked after his innings. "That's just the way cricket goes sometimes, you have a bit of luck, and maybe it went my way today."
BBG Sports Takes Full Responsibility
The company behind the technology, BBG Sports, issued a formal apology for the mistake. Its founder, Warren Brennan, explained the likely cause of the error in a statement to the Australian publication The Age.
"Given that Alex Carey admitted he had hit the ball in question, the only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that the Snicko operator at the time must have selected the incorrect stump microphone for audio processing," Brennan stated. He added unequivocally, "In light of this, BBG Sports takes full responsibility for the error."
Consequences and Series Context
The reprieve had substantial consequences for the match. Alex Carey capitalised on his fortune, proceeding to score a vital century on his home ground. This innings bolstered Australia's position in a pivotal Ashes contest.
This was not the first DRS controversy of the series, highlighting the ongoing pressure and scrutiny on the technology designed to eliminate umpiring errors. The mistake has reignited debates about the operational protocols and potential human error involved in the review process, even with sophisticated tools at hand.
The incident, which took place on Wednesday 17 December 2025, underscores how a single technical glitch can dramatically influence the momentum of a high-stakes sporting encounter.
