Umpiring Errors Under Fire: West Indies Coach Sammy Voices Concerns After Contentious Test Against Australia

West Indies coach Daren Sammy has voiced his concerns regarding the decision-making of TV umpire Adrian Holdstock during the first Test against Australia. The controversy arose after several contentious reviews on the second day of play in Barbados.

West Indies complained of DRS mistakes by third umpire Adrian Holdstock during their first Test against Australia. (AP)

Sammy met with match referee Javagal Srinath to discuss the issue, highlighting that his worries originated from Holdstock's previous officiating during the ODI series in England.

Key Contentious Decisions

Two specific decisions have particularly upset the West Indies camp:

• Roston Chase's LBW: The team believes Chase edged the ball before it hit his pads during his dismissal to Pat Cummins.
• Shai Hope's Caught-Behind: Alex Carey's catch was deemed clean after review, despite doubts from the West Indies perspective.

Sammy emphasized the need for consistency in umpiring decisions. "We are just trying to find some sort of understanding as to what the process is," he stated. "We only hope for consistency. That's all we could ask for. When there is doubt in something, just be consistent across the board."

He further added, "I have noticed, especially with this particular umpire, it's something that for me started in England. It's frustrating. I just ask for consistency in the decision-making."

Concerns Over Potential Bias

Sammy also raised concerns about potential bias. "Yeah, look, you don't want to get yourself in a situation where you're wondering about certain umpires. Is there something against this team? But when you see decision after decision, then it raises the question. I know he's here for the series. You don't want to go in a Test match having that doubt."

He reiterated the importance of trust in the umpires. "So I want to have that conversation as to the process… so we could be all clear. Because, at the end of the day, you don't want to be going into a Test match not trusting the umpires. And that's not what our team is about. So we're just looking for some clarity as to the decisions."

When asked about the possibility of filing a formal complaint, Sammy remained undecided. "You'll have to wait and see for that," he said.

An X user on the officiating in the West Indies vs Australia first Test.

Chase's Dismissal Under Scrutiny

Regarding Chase's dismissal, which occurred during a crucial 67-run partnership with Hope, Sammy commented, "In our opinion, we saw the ball deviated onto the pad."

He also drew a comparison between Hope's dismissal and Travis Head's reprieve from the previous day, emphasizing the need for consistent application of rules. "I'm just saying, judge what you see," Sammy said. "If you see the same thing and one is not out, there is even more doubt on the other one than you give it out. Again, I don't know what he's seen but from the images that we've seen, the decisions are not fair enough for both teams. We're all humans. Mistakes will be made. I just want fairness."

Australia's Perspective

Australia also faced a controversial decision when their early morning lbw appeal against Chase was turned down. Mitchell Starc questioned the synchronization between images and audio during the replays.

"There's been some interesting ones," Starc noted. "Obviously a couple more have gone against the West Indies than us. One for us [against Chase] looked like there was a gap between the bat and the ball, it cost us 40-odd runs, but then a contentious one to then get the wicket."

An X user on the officiating in the West Indies vs Australia first Test.

An X user on the officiating in the West Indies vs Australia first Test.

Starc also pointed out that the Australian team felt Head's edge to Hope should have been given out the previous day.

Sammy has discouraged his players from publicly commenting on the umpiring decisions to avoid potential fines. He concluded by saying, "Yes, we're kind of shooting ourselves in the foot by dropping so many catches, but look at the Test match, [us] against our own selves, some of these decisions, and we're still in a position to win."