West Indies were displeased by two controversial calls by the 3rd umpire, Adrian Holdstock, who arguably made his worst decisions most notably in the dismissals of Shai Hope and West Indies skipper Roston Chase.
The 1st Test between the West Indies and Australia at Kensington Oval is headed for an intense finish. Day 2 featured some fierce match-ups between the teams, and while West Indies appeared to have the upper hand for parts of the day, the major headlines were dominated by controversial decisions from the third umpire, Adrian Holdstock. He made what many are calling poor decisions after Australia chose to review on-field calls that were initially denied.
Controversial Dismissal of Roston Chase Sparks Umpiring Debate
Roston Chase, who was going strong on 44 runs on his captaincy debut, was the first to fall to a questionable decision. He was struck on the pads by Pat Cummins, and the on-field umpire denied the appeal.
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Pat Cummins immediately referred it. The UltraEdge showed a spike as the ball passed the bat before hitting the pads, but Holdstock, convinced by the footage, overturned the on-field decision and gave Chase out.
This led to major controversy. Even Ian Bishop, who was on commentary, openly disagreed with the third umpire’s call.
"I disagree with the decision. I disagree with the technology there. I thought he hit that. I feel sorry for the officiating team there, but in my view, that clearly should not have been out. Chase is in bewilderment," Bishop said on-air.
Shai Hope’s Controversial Dismissal Adds Fuel to Fan Outrage
A few overs later, Shai Hope edged the ball to Alex Carey, who claimed a low catch. The on-field decision was sent upstairs for review. The initial replay appeared to show the ball touching the ground before Carey completed the catch. However, the third umpire ruled it a fair catch, and Hope was dismissed for 48 runs just two runs short of his half-century.
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These two decisions weren’t received well by fans. Many took to social media to express their frustration and criticize Holdstock’s officiating.
"Adrian Holdstock is probably the worst umpire of this generation... Roston Chase was given out despite a clear deviation. What a shame! ICC, please take some action about this," said one fan.
"Absolutely horrendous umpiring by the third umpire Adrian Holdstock. Unlucky West Indies and Shai Hope. That's not a clean catch, full stop," said another user.
The Test match now heads into Day 3, with Australia leading by 84 runs and six wickets in hand. The two-paced surface was a bit difficult for batters on Day 2, but after being well-rolled, it is expected to play harder today likely offering better conditions for batting.
Stay tuned for more updates on the West Indies vs Australia 1st Test.
