Ashes 2021/22: All the news from the first Test at the Gabba

Australia is certain the absence of snicko cost them a key England wicket, despite the man at the centre of the controversy declaring he “missed it by a mile”.

Australia is adamant the absence of snicko cost them the key wicket of England fighter Dawid Malan, despite the batter declaring he “missed it by a mile.”

Josh Hazlewood’s frustration with cricket’s electronic eye being out of action for the first Ashes Test can be traced all the way back to Queensland’s COVID protocols which banned an emergency visit to a software doctor.

Australia referred to DRS for a caught behind when Malan (80 not out at stumps) was early in his innings, but their claims were dismissed, with umpires unable to call on snicko to back up what they deemed to be inconclusive evidence of a hot spot on the toe of his bat.

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Broadcasters have bent over backwards with tireless efforts made to ensure the Test match could take place in Brisbane, and the DRS technical dramas are essentially the risk Cricket Australia took by gambling on playing the match in a state with closed borders.

The third party provider that runs real time snicko arrived at the Gabba only to discover the technology – and even the back-up system had problems.

In normal circumstances, he would have raced to a high-end software technician in Brisbane to get it fixed, but couldn’t due to the strict terms of the travel exemptions enforced by the Queensland Government.

Josh Hazlewood was left fuming after he thought he had Dawid Malan caught behind. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

Broadcasters have just 25 per cent of the normal on-site crew in Brisbane due to the border closure, and those who are there are only allowed to travel between their accommodation and the Gabba and are strictly banned from venturing anywhere else in Queensland.

It meant the specialised technician could not take the snicko system to be fixed, and match referee David Boon made a call to play the rest of the match without real time snicko.

Hazlewood was frustrated when he thought he had Malan caught behind.

Had real time snicko been available, Australia is adamant an edge would have been confirmed to the satisfaction of the third umpire – but to no avail.

“The umpires had said to us the RTS was out … I actually didn’t hear a noise but the other four guys around me were adamant there was bat,” said Marnus Labuschagne.

No snicko could be used after the Aussies spotted a small flare on the toe of Malan's bat.

“And for us on field, obviously we are a long way away but it looked like it hit the bottom of the toe.

“Hot spot, we thought there was a mark on the bottom of the toe … but when you don’t have snicko obviously that decision is never going to get turned over.”

Malan rubbished Australia’s claims – convinced snicko would have shown nothing even if it was available to be used by the third umpire.

“I didn’t hit it. I missed it by a mile so it wouldn’t have made a difference,” said Malan, who hinted maybe he got away with another nick not picked up during his fine knock.

“I didn’t hit that one.”

Auto no ball technology is run by the ICC and not the broadcasters, but it’s understood the inability to get that technology fixed was also due to the strict COVID protocols imposed by the Queensland Government.

Josh Hazlewood appeals unsuccessfully. Picture: Patrick Hamilton/AFP

One of the chief reasons the Perth Test was canned was because broadcasters couldn’t have guaranteed DRS due to the number of specialised technicians who would have required exemptions.

Cricket Australia was adamant it wanted the first Test to take place at the Gabba, and although it’s been a success with big crowds and a lively cricket wicket – the risk of a technology breakdown being unable to be fixed was something spelt out clearly to them by broadcasters.

The snicko provider has now been sent back to Melbourne to get the system fixed before the Adelaide Test, while it’s understood the ICC has shipped out replacement hardware to ensure auto no ball works for the second Test as well.

Ben Stokes’ and Australia were both impacted by the breakdown of auto no ball, and Boon instructed umpires before play that they would be forced to revert to an old school approach where they could no longer rely on technology.

Originally published as Ashes 2021/22: All the news from the first Test at the Gabba