ICC reinstates England review after Alex Carey snicko controversy in Ashes: Explained

England’s uneasy relationship with on-field technology took centre stage on the opening day of the third Ashes Test, after a Snicko error allowed Alex Carey to survive a caught-behind appeal and forced the ICC to step in. The incident has once again stirred debate over how dependable sound-based edge detection really is, especially in tightly poised Test matches where a single moment can change the course of play.

The flashpoint arrived with Carey on 72, chasing a delivery outside off from Josh Tongue. England were convinced they had heard the nick, but on-field umpire Ahsan Raza said not out. England reviewed the decision, only for third umpire Chris Gaffaney to uphold it. Although a spike appeared on the Real-Time Snickometer, it occurred several frames before the ball passed the bat, leaving Gaffaney unconvinced there was enough evidence to overturn the call.

Soon after, the source of the confusion became clearer. BBG Sports, the company that supplies the Snicko technology, accepted responsibility for the malfunction.