Published: Aug 28, 2019, 11:11 AM (IST)
Edited: Aug 28, 2019, 11:11 AM (IST)
Two of the under-fire on-field umpires in the ongoing Ashes 2019 series will play no further role in the two remaining Tests.
The umpire Joel Wilson, who has made several on-field errors including one that could have decided the third Test at Leeds last week, and Chris Gaffaney, who had seven decisions overturned during that match, will not officiate in the Old Trafford or Oval matches.
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Wilson had a record-equalling eight decisions overturned during the first Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston. And as the gripping Headingley Test drew to a close in tense scenes, Wilson denied Nathan Lyon an lbw shout with England needing two runs to win with one wicket remaining.
Replays on that appeal showed that Headingley hero Ben Stokes was out.
Wilson and New Zealander Gaffaney will be replaced by Marais Erasmus and Ruchira Palliyaguruge for the fourth Ashes Test in Manchester next week. The third umpire will be Kumar Dharmasena.
(READ: MCC committee insist ‘neutral’ umpires still best for Tests)
In July, Wilson was elevated to the ICC’s Elite Umpire panel. During the World Cup, Gaffaney failed to spot a big no-ball from Mitchell Starc.
The first series in the new World Test Championship, the Ashes has seen the DRS also criticised for its inaccuracy.
After the Leeds match, Australia skipper Tim Paine said he would be putting someone else in charge of the team’s reviews following his side’s defeat. Paine, however, refused to criticise Wilson’s original not out decision, even if he disagreed with the West Indian umpire’s verdict.
Stokes termed the DRS as “broken” while stating that the technology got it “completely wrong”.
During the first three Ashes Tests there have been an estimated 50 decisions reviewed. Of these, 19 have been overturned by the third umpire.
