Umpiring howler had big effect on match, complains Ross Taylor

Josh Hazlewood of Australia celebrates after taking the wicket of Ross Taylor of New Zealand during day two

Senior New Zealand batsman and former skipper Ross Taylor has said that the contentious call taken by third umpire Nigel Llong on Day 2 in Adelaide had a big effect on the match. The match, the first ever Day/Night Test, was eventually won by Australia on Day 3 with the narrow margin of 3 wickets.

What is notable, however, and what the New Zealand team feel strongly about is that Nathan Lyon scored 34 in the Australian first innings, with all of his 34 runs coming after surviving third umpire Nigel Llong’s scrutiny of a caught behind appeal.

"The players were pretty confident that it was out," Taylor told AFP.

"Obviously, the Hot Spot that showed up, Lyon walking off and nearly getting to the boundary, I think it's had a big bearing on the match.

"We can understand when the umpires make the wrong decision on the field, but once you've got so many different angles and what-not, you think that more often than not, 99 to 100 percent of the time you're going to get the right answer. I guess we didn't today."

What has hurt the Kiwis about the decision even more is that Lyon’s 34 runs were vital in the low-scoring tie.

Josh Hazlewood was sheepish in his comments on the Lyon let-off as well.

"I'm not too sure. It's one of those things, with all that technology there and still couldn't quite get a decision," he said.

The problem of ‘no conclusive evidence’

HotSpot showed that the ball might have got the faintest of edges, but third umpire Nigel Llong ruled that there was not enough conclusive evidence to revert the decision. Snicko failed to confirm the matter either.

"There is a mark on the bat, I'm not sure where it is coming from," said Llong to on-field umpire S Ravi.

"I can't definitely say he's hit this. Okay, I'm pretty sure I have no conclusive evidence to rule this out. I'm going back on-field. Ravi, there is a mark on the bat but I have no conclusive evidence to give that out, stick with your decision."

While all who could see the replay could see that Lyon should have been out, he was ruled not out because there was ‘not enough evidence’ to rule against the decision taken by the on-field umpire.

Lyon, who had actually started walking back to the pavilion, was called back, and he had no qualms in taking advantage of the blindness the current DRS rule is afflicted with.