Ump’s shocker may trigger big changes
THE shambolic standard of umpiring in Australia’s Ashes opener at Edgbaston has intensified calls for the ICC to scrap its use of neutral umpires in Test cricket — and could yield an unprecedented mid-series shake-up.
The standard of officiating in the opening Test was almost historically bad, with a staggering 10 decisions overturned — one shy of the record.
Incredibly, Joel Wilson was responsible for eight of those decisions alone as the Trinidadian — who stood in his first Test in 2016, and is a member of the ICC’s elite panel of umpires — had a regrettable week as his confidence took a battering.
Worryingly, Wilson’s involvement in the Ashes is not yet over — he is due to be the third umpire at Lord’s and will then stand in the third Test at Headingley, alongside New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney.
The umpires for each Test series are locked before the contests begin, but given the historic nature of Wilson’s haphazard decision-making it’s not inconceivable that a change could be called for.
Joe Root was in the firing line on day five, twice given out lbw by Wilson only to have reviews confirm that one was missing leg stump by a long way — and he had hit the other.
But Root had sympathy for the umpires when quizzed after play.
“Players make bad decisions from time to time, lose their wicket or get smacked out of the attack,” Root said.
“Umpires are going to make mistakes as well. It’s very easy to overcriticise and point the finger.
“Sometimes there has to be respect and understand they’re under as much pressure as some of the players.
“They might have got a fair few decisions wrong in this game but that’s all part and parcel of cricket and that’s why DRS is there to overturn the wrong ones, thankfully it was there this game.”
In total there were 20 reviews during the Test — 10 of which were upheld — which, too, is a record for the most in a Test outside of Asia.
“Originally I was a big fan of DRS. I’m not now. And I’d get rid of neutral umpires; use the best umpires [for big Tests],” said Australian great Glenn McGrath, echoing the thoughts of his former teammate Ricky Ponting.