Debutant Beau Webster felt Australia were “unfortunate” to be on the opposite side of the decision which saw the third umpire ruling out Steven Smith’s attempted catch for India stalwart Virat Kohli’s dismissal on the opening day of the Sydney Test. The incident occurred in the eighth over after India decided to bat after winning the toss. On the first ball that came Virat’s way, he edged it away to Scott Boland, with Smith dived, taking a low catch at the slip.
Smith appeared to catch the ball close to the ground with his right hand before scooping the ball in the air, with Marnus Labuschagne completing the catch. The officiating umpire, Sharfuddoula Saikat, asked the third umpire, Joel Wilson, to have a look.
Wilson eventually adjudged that the ball had touched the ground before Smith scooped the ball in the air to Labuschagne, who completed the catch. With Virat living an extended life, he did all the hard work but couldn’t make the most of the opportunity and departed on 17(69).
“I had a good view and thought it was clear as day from where I was as being out. Obviously, when you slow it down, the replays and the slow-mo, there is probably some grass that touched that ball. It’s just a matter of how much, and whenever you get a low catch, there’s always going to be an element of grass close to the ball,” Webster said, as quoted from cricket.com.au.
“We all thought it was out, but unfortunately, it didn’t go our way. We were pretty happy he (Kohli, who was dismissed for a painstaking 17) didn’t get a hundred after it. It was a difficult one, and it’s difficult for a third umpire when you have those sorts of replays. It was a bit inevitable in the end,” he added.
Even at the lunch break, Smith was 100 per cent assured his hand was completely under the ball during the entire incident.
“No denying it whatsoever, 100 per cent. But the umpire has made the decision. We’ll move on,” Smith told cricket.com.au at the lunch break when asked if he got his hand under the ball.
Boland eventually walked away with Virat’s scalp after forcing out another edge by bowling in the channel of uncertainty. This time around, Webster completed a clean catch to ensure another dry outing for Virat with the bat.
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