West Indies head coach Darren Sammy has questioned whether TV umpire Adrian Holdstock has 鈥榮omething against鈥 his team after repeated controversial calls during the first Test against Australia in Barbados. Sammy said this is not the first time he had felt uncomfortable about Holdstock, adding that he had met with match referee Javagal Srinath to seek 鈥榗larity鈥 over the decision-making.
There were several controversial calls in the first two days of the Test. The biggest was Alex Carey鈥檚 reflex catch to his left against Shai Hope, which the on-field umpires sent to Holdstock. Replays showed that the ball brushed the grass while still in the wicketkeeper鈥檚 gloves, but Holdstock gave the dismissal.
Sammy was seen visibly frustrated at that, while social media went abuzz, sharing videos of a similar catch from Hope in the first innings against Travis Head. On that occasion, Holdstock gave the benefit of the doubt to the batter, denying Shamar Joseph of what he thought was his fifth wicket.
鈥淲e are just trying to find some sort of understanding as to what the process is,鈥 Sammy said in the post-day press conference, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. 鈥淲e only hope for consistency. That鈥檚 all we could ask for. When there is doubt in something, just be consistent across the board. I have noticed, especially with this particular umpire, it鈥檚 something that for me started in England. It鈥檚 frustrating. I just ask for consistency in the decision-making.鈥
鈥淵eah, look, you don鈥檛 want to get yourself in a situation where you鈥檙e wondering about certain umpires. Is there something against this team? But when you see decision after decision, then it raises the question. I know he鈥檚 here for the series. You don鈥檛 want to go in a Test match having that doubt. So I want to have that conversation as to the process鈥 so we could be all clear. Because, at the end of the day, you don鈥檛 want to be going into a Test match not trusting the umpires. And that鈥檚 not what our team is about. So we鈥檙e just looking for some clarity as to the decisions.鈥
Asked whether the Windies would lodge a formal complaint, Sammy said, 鈥淵ou鈥檒l have to wait and see for that.鈥
West Indies captain Roston Chase was another in the middle of a controversy. He was given out early in his innings, but Holdstock overturned the call, feeling there was an edge involved, much to the dismay of the Australians.
After he crossed 40, he was given out on Pat Cummins鈥 bowling and the third umpire upheld the decision on review, but the West Indians weren鈥檛 happy this time, feeling that the ball had deviated off an edge.
Sammy added that mistakes are normal in the sport, but the decisions were not 鈥榝air鈥 for both teams.
Mitchell Starc questions technology
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, put doubt over the technology.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been some interesting ones,鈥 Starc said. 鈥淥bviously a couple more have gone against the West Indies than us. One for us [against Chase] looked like there was a gap between the bat and the ball, it cost us 40-odd runs, but then a contentious one to then get the wicket. As players, you can only ask a question. We don鈥檛 use the technology to make that decision. It sort of felt like, or looked like, that the Snicko and the images were out of sync to some capacity,鈥 he added.
Australia ended the day at 92/4, 82 runs ahead in the second innings, with the Test heading towards a possible three-day finish.