5 controversial decisions taken by the third umpire 

Australia v New Zealand - 3rd Test: Day 3

The third umpire was introduced in 1992 and over the years, his importance has grown. The great Sachin Tendulkar was the first ever batsman to be given out by a third umpire. He was run-out in the first Test at Durban in the historic series (first series in South Africa after apartheid) and Karl Liebenberg was the third umpire who adjudged Tendulkar out.

A month later, Kepler Wessels became the first batsman to be given out by the third umpire in One-Day Internationals. Rudi Koertzen was the third umpire then.

Today, the third umpire becomes very crucial with the DRS (Decision Review System) in place. He can use all the technology available to him to ensure the right decision has been made. However, there have been quite a few controversial decisions given by the third umpire. Thus, here we look at the 5 most controversial decisions by third umpires.


#5 Andrew Symonds gets a gift from the third umpire (2008)

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Symonds and Harbhajan were involved in a heated conversation.

India’s tour of Australia in 2007/08 was a very good one (with India beating Australia in the Perth Test and then winning the Commonwealth Bank Tri-series), but it also marred by a lot of controversies. And it all started in the second Test in Sydney (at the SCG).

After losing the first Test comprehensively, India were in very good position as they had reduced Australia to 134/6 and were on course to bowl the hosts out cheaply. But Andrew Symonds along with Brad Hogg took Australia closer to 200.

In the 47th over, Ishant Sharma bowled a back of a length delivery on the fourth-stump line. Symonds got a thick edge to Dhoni and refused to walk and to everyone’s surprise umpire Steve Bucknor was unmoved as well. This was the second howler of the game as Ricky Ponting had also refused to walk after being caught down the leg-side.

After a couple of howlers on the field, this time it was the third umpire’s turn to get involved in a controversy. Symonds and Hogg frustrated India with good 7th wicket stand. The score had reached 238/6 and skipper Anil Kumble was bowling his 9th over (56th of the innings).

On the third delivery of that over, Kumble bowled a beauty which pitched on off-stump and it turned a bit (with some extra bounce as well) and Symonds dragged his foot outside the crease and keeper MS Dhoni whipped the bails off in a flash.

Square-leg umpire referred it to the third-umpire who took a look at the replay several times. He looked at different angles and almost all of them suggested that Symonds’ back-foot was in the air when the bails were taken off. However, the third umpire adjudged it not-out contrary to what the on-air commentators and those watching on the television and big-screen felt. This was another controversial decision and Symonds got his 3rd life of the innings.

Later this Test became famous for the Harbhajan-Symonds spat (which occurred in India’s first innings). The poor umpiring continued throughout the Test match as some of those decisions cost India the game.

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#4 Ian Bell runs back to the pavilion for tea and gets run-out (2011)

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The year 2011 is remembered for India’s glorious World Cup triumph. However, post the World Cup in 2011, India went through a lean phase especially overseas. They lost the No. 1 Test ranking after losing 4-0 to England in England.

In the second Test of that series, India found themselves in a good position. After taking a 67-run lead in the first innings, India reduced England to 57/2 to raise hopes of a win. However, Ian Bell led England’s fightback and scored a brilliant century.

And then on the last ball of the 66th over (also the last ball before Tea), Eoin Morgan flicked an Ishant Sharma delivery towards the square-leg boundary which was stopped by Praveen Kumar (a diving stop). The umpire Asad Rauf hadn’t signalled the boundary and wasn’t sure about it as well. Hence, with the help of the third umpire, it was confirmed that it wasn’t a four.

However, the batsmen (Bell and Morgan) had run three and before the ball was thrown back Bell ran towards his partner and started to walk off for Tea. But when the ball was thrown in, the bails were taken off and the Indians appealed for the run-out. The two on-field umpires then consulted third umpire who had several look at the replays. There was lot of confusion going around as the TV umpire took a long time to decide (almost about 5 minutes).

After a pondering for a while, the third umpire decided to give Ian Bell out as the ball wasn’t dead. This decision sparked a lot of controversy and debate. The Indian teamed were booed off the ground as the English crowd weren’t pleased with the decision. The England team were also a bit puzzled about the decision but the third umpire cleared their doubts.

However, after so much drama unfolded going into the Tea break, skipper MS Dhoni decided to withdraw the appeal and recalled Ian Bell. This decision was a brave one and sportsmanship prevailed as Bell resumed batting after Tea.

MS Dhoni was awarded the ICC Spirit of Cricket in the ICC Awards in 2011.

#3 Technology surprises Usman Khawaja (2013)

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During the 2013 Ashes in England, it had been 6 years since Australia last won the Ashes and 12 years since they won in England. After losing a thriller in the first Test, Australia lost comprehensively in the second Test to go 2-0 down.

In a must-win third Test, Australia elected to bat first after winning the toss and got off to a good start with Shane Watson and Chris Rogers putting on a solid 76-run opening stand. Usman Khawaja walked into bat at No. 3 and looked a bit tentative.

Swann had got into his groove early. In his second over, Swann was spot on with his first five deliveries. The sixth delivery was again right on the money as it pitched around the fourth stump line and Swann also got it to turn. It beat Khawaja and there was a strong appeal to which umpire Tony Hill responded by giving it out.

Khawaja reviewed it almost instantly. Third umpire Kumar Dharmasena went through the process of the DRS. And it looked like there was a little bit of daylight between bat and ball. The Hotspot didn’t show any mark either. And with Snicko (or UltraEdge) not a part of DRS, the third umpire couldn’t make a conclusive decision. Hence, he ruled it in favour of the on-field call and said that there was inconclusive evidence to overturn the decision and hence stuck with out.

Usman Khawaja was clearly not happy with the decision and he was proved right when Snicko confirmed that there was no edge.

#2 Ben Stokes gets unlucky taking evasive action (2015)

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England’s ODI resurgence started in the year 2015. After winning the Ashes (3-2) and the one-off T20I, England lost the first ODI by 59 runs. Australia for the second successive game, Australia scored over 300 batting first.

Chasing 310, England started well and reached the 100-run mark in the 18th over. But James Taylor’s dismissal in the 22nd over put England in a bit of trouble. Ben Stokes joined skipper Eoin Morgan and started well. The duo looked to put England’s innings back on track before a back controversial decision was made.

Mitchell Starc was into his fifth over and Ben Stokes was batting in 10 (of 7 balls). On the fourth delivery of the over (25th of the innings), Starc bowled a full delivery at 145 kmph and it was driven back to him by Stokes who was on the front-foot and the momentum took him outside the crease.

Starc saw that and fired the ball back at the stumps. Stokes in a bid to get back to the crease took evasive action and stuck his left hand out. The ball hit his gloves (in the palm region) and he was still outside the crease. The Aussies appealed for obstructing the field. The two on-field umpires took the matter to the third umpire.

Joel Wilson was the third umpire and he took a long close look at the replays. And a bit of deliberation, he ruled the batsman out stating there was conclusive evidence that Stokes obstructed the field. The England camp was very unhappy with the decision and skipper Eoin Morgan who was batting out in the middle had a lengthy conversation with the umpires as well.

This controversial decision went against England as they lost the game by 64 runs and at the end of the game both captains had different opinions about the controversial dismissal of Stokes.

#1 Nathan Lyon gets lucky with inconclusive evidence rule (2015)

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Australia and New Zealand played a historic Day-Night Test at the Adelaide Oval in November 2015. Pink ball, under lights, Test cricket - there was lots of excitement.

New Zealand won the toss and batted first, but could post only 202 and were bowled out on the first day. Australia saw off the night session and reached 54/2 at the end of day 1. However, an all-round effort from all the Kiwi bowlers on the second afternoon (first session of the second day) helped them reduce the Aussies to 116/8. Peter Nevill was still out there and held the key for Australia.

In the second over of the second session, Mitchell Santner (on debut) was bowling around the wicket to Nathan Lyon. A delivery which was on a length and was turning away slightly, Lyon went for the sweep shot and the ball lobbed up off his shoulder (after taking a faint edge) to second slip. The New Zealand fielders were confident that Lyon had edged it, but umpire S Ravi turned down their appeal.

The Kiwis decided to take a review. Nigel Llong was the third umpire. He went through the entire process slowly. The front-on replays looked very close. Hotspot showed a prominent mark on the top edge of the bat. Looking at the replay on the big screen, Nathan Lyon started to head back to the pavilion.

However, to his surprise, after a lengthy deliberation, the third umpire decided to rule it in favour of the batsman. Umpire Llong stated that he has no conclusive evidence to overturn the decision. Hence, Lyon survived. The Kiwi players on the field couldn’t believe it. In fact, Brendon McCullum who is generally a calm person had a length conservation with the on-field umpire.

This decision proved to be very costly as Lyon scored 34 and Nevill scored 66 to take Australia into lead (which was vital). In the end, Australia won the historic Test match by 3 wickets.

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Edited by Anuradha Santhanam