ENGLAND were furious at the Snicko technology for the second day running as they endured another heap of Ashes misery.
By the close of day two of the Third Test, Ben Stokes’ team were 213-8 and still 158 runs behind.
They are already 2-0 down and have surrendered virtually all chances of recapturing the little urn.
Let’s be honest, it was another pathetic performance by England with Stokes’ demands for his team to “show a bit of dog” seeming to fall on deaf ears.
England’s failures included Ollie Pope’s typically soft clip to mid-wicket for just three – a dismissal that might signal the end of his Test career.
The Snicko row came when wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was given out caught behind off Pat Cummins for 22.
Smith and batting partner Stokes were convinced he had not touched the ball as he aimed a pull shot.
There was a spike on Snicko one frame after the ball passed the bat – and that was sufficient for third umpire Chris Gaffaney to give Smith out.
At best, it was inconclusive.
On the first day of the match, Aussie wicketkeeper Alex Carey was given not out when a spike appeared two frames before the ball reached the bat.
Carey admitted he had nicked the ball and BBG Sports, who own Snicko, accepted that human error by one of their operators had resulted in an incorrect decision.
Former England spinner Graeme Swann said on the TNT Sports coverage: “I don’t want to sound like a whingeing Pom but it seems like one rule for one and one for another. Throw Snicko away – it’s nonsense.”
Even the Aussies have lost faith in Snicko.
A couple of overs before Smith’s dismissal, he received a lifter from Cummins that hit his glove or helmet and flew low to Usman Khawaja at first slip.
Khawaja was unsure whether it was a clean catch and a review request was sent to the third umpire, who concluded the ball missed the glove and went straight off the helmet.
Australia disagreed and Mitchell Starc could be heard on the stump mic saying: “Snicko needs to be sacked. It’s the worst technology ever.”
But the controversy over the technology should not mask the fact that England were again terrible with the bat on a flat pitch at the Adelaide Oval.
The Aussies were superb with the ball, using a tactic that is apparently alien to England – bowling an accurate line and length.
Throughout the series, Australia’s bowling has been disciplined while England’s has been horribly wayward and inconsistent.
After Jofra Archer took his haul to 5-53 and Australia were bowled out in their first innings for 371, England reached 37-0 without too many alarms.
But then they lost three wickets in the space of 15 balls.
Zak Crawley edged a Cummins cracker, Pope clipped spinner Nathan Lyon feebly to mid-wicket and Ben Duckett was bowled by a beauty from Lyon.
Joe Root edged Scott Boland behind via his back pad when he had scored just one. There was debate whether the ball carried to Carey and third umpire Gaffaney ruled that it touched the ground.
But Root was lucky because anybody who watches a lot of cricket knows the camera often gives a false impression with low catches.
Root was unable to take full advantage and edged Cummins behind for 19. Cummins, playing his first Test of the series following back trouble, bowled with relentless accuracy. Ditto Boland.
Harry Brook made 45 before nicking off to all-rounder Cameron Green.
Then came Smith’s dismissal. Carey held his fifth catch when, standing up to Boland, he leapt to cling onto the ball after it struck Will Jacks’ bat and pad.
Brydon Carse, a huge let-down with the bat in this series, was bowled by Boland for a duck.
Stokes, furious with his team and the technology as well as suffering from cramp, finished the day 45 not out while Archer was unbeaten on 30.
Earlier in the day, the pair had a heated exchange over fielding positions.
