Sports
Jelani Beckles
South African Adrian Holdstock, the third umpire in the opening Test between West Indies and Australia, is under the microscope after a string of bemusing decisions against the home side in the first Test in Barbados.
Although having the benefit of replay and other technology, at least three decision by Holdstock have left the West Indian camp seriously aggrieved.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) does regular evaluations on umpires, which can lead to an official being dropped from the elite list of international umpires.
In an interview with Newsday on June 27, former Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Bruce Aanensen said Holdstock’s performance should be reviewed.
“The ICC should definitely look at that…certainly that is something that should be looked into because it is not one, it is not two, it is three (questionable decisions),” he told Newsday.
The ICC High Performance Officiating programme says four areas are looked at when evaluating an umpire’s performance including on-field and match management, on-field decision making, TV umpiring match management and decision making and high performance values.
In 2024, 29.5 per cent of Holdstock’s decisions were overturned by the Decision Review System (DRS) when he officiated as an on-field umpire. It was the second-highest percentage last year in a list of 13 umpires evaluated, according to an article in The Sporting News.
On day two of the Test match at Kensington Oval in Barbados, West Indies captain Roston Chase was given out leg before to fast bowler Pat Cummins on the field. Chase immediately asked for the decision to be reviewed.
The replay showed activity on the snickometre – technology used to determine if there was any bat involved in a leg-before decision. Despite the replay, the third umpire agreed with the on-field decision and Chase had to return to the pavilion for 44.
Shortly after there was another questionable decision. Shai Hope edged a Beau Webster delivery and Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey took what appeared to be a spectacular one-handed catch down the leg side. The Australians celebrated and Hope decided to walk off.
The on-field umpires decided to refer it to Holdstock. Replay showed that the ball may have hit the ground before it went into Carey’s gloves. Holdstock still gave Hope out.
Windies coach Daren Sammy was visibly shocked that Hope was given out as the camera focused on his reaction.
Speaking during a media conference after day two, Sammy said, “I just had a chat with the match referee (Javagal Srinath) trying to find some sort of understanding with the process. We only hope for consistency, that’s all we could ask for…I have noticed with this umpire it is something that started in England (when we played there recently). It is frustrating. It seems we come up on the sharp end of the stick all the time.”
Day two was not the only day with a bit of controversy. Wicketkeeper Hope took what seemed to be a clean catch to dismiss Travis Head off the bowling of Shamar Joseph. The umpires chose to refer it to Holdstock who determined it was not a clean catch.
“There was no doubt in my mind that Shai Hope’s glove was under that ball,” Aanensen said. “Yet he says the ball touch the ground. The other one (with Carey)…he said it is inconclusive. Three terrible decisions and Shai Hope and Chase were having a good partnership together and they knocked off both of them with bad decisions.”
Australia were also not pleased with the umpiring as they felt they should have got the wicket of Chase early on day two. The Aussies decided to review a not-out decision for leg before, but it was determined by Holdstock that the ball struck the bat before the pad. Australia looked surprised with the decision.
Aanensen said West Indies also have themselves to blame as they dropped too many catches in the first Test. “By and large, most of them were catches that should be taken in Test cricket.”
Aanensen said the on-field umpires have a difficult job, but third umpires have the benefit of replays and should be held accountable.
