‘It might be the end of Snicko’ – How Alex Carey controversy caused technology storm on opening day of third Test
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Updated 17/12/2025 at 13:44 GMT
England’s trust in the 'Snickometer' system appears to have eroded after Alex Carey admitted he was lucky not to be given out on 72 off Josh Tongue during the third NRMA Insurance men's Ashes Test. Carey went on to score a crucial century. Jamie Smith was dismissed in comparable circumstances during the first Test in Perth, when the visual evidence again seemed misaligned with the audio signal.
'The umpire is not convinced' - Alex Carey survives caught behind scare in third Ashes Test
Video credit: TNT Sports
England are weighing up whether to formally question the reliability of the Snickometer after a controversial decision allowed Alex Carey to continue his innings and go on to make a pivotal century in Adelaide during the third NRMA Insurance men's Ashes Test.
The flashpoint came when Josh Tongue believed he had Carey caught behind on 72. England immediately turned to the Decision Review System (DRS) after the on-field call stayed not out, convinced there had been contact.
While the stump microphones registered a sharp noise and produced a visible spike, television replays suggested the sound occurred before the ball reached the bat. Third umpire Chris Gaffaney sided with the on-field decision, a verdict that left England frustrated.
Carey capitalised with England feeling a wicket there could have dramatically altered the direction of the match as Australia climbed to 326-8 at the close.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the day’s play, England bowling coach David Saker made clear his doubts over the technology. "There was obviously a spike but it was either really early or late.
"Our boys are really confident he hit. Jamie Smith behind the stumps is not the sort of guy who would be like that unless he thought that.
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'Where's the noise coming from?' - Snicko confusion debated as Carey survives
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"But you've got the technology. We're pretty confident he hit but he'd be the person to be asking. He did look guilty.
"That's the technology and I think they need to make sure it's working better than it did. Even the Patty Cummins one, there seemed to be some timings out."
Saker later said the decision had left the England camp deeply unhappy.
"I can’t remember the exact score, but it was a pretty important decision," he said at the press conference. "Those things hurt... you’d think in this day-and-age, you'd hope the technology's good enough to pick things up like that."
Asked whether England had already raised concerns with officials during the series, Saker suggested patience may be wearing thin.
"I don’t think we’ve done anything about it so far, but after today, maybe that might go a bit further. There’s been concerns about it all series.
"We shouldn’t be talking about that after a day’s play, and it should just be better than that. It is what it is."
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Highlights: England star in the field but Carey century gives Australia hope on Day One
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Carey: Clearly I'm not a walker
Carey later acknowledged that he may have been fortunate to survive the review, admitting he sensed contact when questioned about the moment in his own press conference.
"I thought there was a bit of a feather or some sort of noise when it passed the bat. It looked a bit funny on the replay, didn’t it? With the noise coming early," he said.
"If I was given out, I think I would have reviewed it. Probably not confidently though. It was a nice sound as it passed the bat, yeah.
"Snicko obviously didn't line up, and it's just the way cricket goes sometimes. You have a bit of luck, and it went my way today."
When asked if he is a "walker", Carey responded: "Clearly, not."
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'We haven't really panicked' - England bowling coach Saker on improved performance
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The controversy has added to ongoing criticism of Snickometer during the series. Smith was dismissed in comparable circumstances during the first Test in Perth.
England rely on an alternative technology, UltraEdge, for matches played on home soil.
Former seamer Steven Finn suggested the system’s credibility is wearing thin as the Ashes continues.
Reflecting on the incident, Finn told TNT Sports: "It sounded woody, and the fielders clearly thought it was woody. Ashes series usually end people's careers.
"It might be the end of Snicko's career at the end of this one, with the way it's performing. It's performed awfully throughout the series. There's been three or four incidents, so hopefully they can sharpen up."
Later, the company that owns Snicko - BBG Sports - accepted a mistake was made.
"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 mic for audio processing," BBG told the BBC.
"In light of this, BBG Sports takes full responsibility for the error."
Watch the third NRMA Insurance men's Ashes Test between England and England, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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