One in three wrong: Controversial umpire at centre of Kuhnemann saga axed
By Tom Decent
Controversial umpire Joel Wilson has been dumped from the International Cricket Council’s Elite Panel weeks after citing Australian spinner Matt Kuhnemann for a suspected illegal action for which he was later cleared.
The ICC confirmed on Tuesday evening that Wilson and Michael Gough would not have their contracts renewed for 2025-26 after an annual review.
The Trinidadian umpire became the subject of scrutiny after routinely making questionable decisions in international cricket. Using the Decision Review System (DRS), players would often successfully have his initial decisions overturned.
More than a third of Wilson’s decisions that were referred to DRS in 2024 – 35.4 per cent – were overturned, the highest rate among all umpires.
Wilson is remembered by Australian fans as the umpire who gave Ben Stokes not out against the bowling of Nathan Lyon - when replays showed the ball was hitting the stumps - during the tense final stages of the 2019 Ashes Test at Headingley when England needed just two runs for victory.
Australia had already used all their reviews, meaning the incorrect decision stood as the home side won a thrilling match minutes later.
“That’s a hard one to take, I must admit,” Australian captain Tim Paine said at the time. “I can’t fathom why or how that wasn’t given out at the time because England had two referrals left.”
A polarising figure, Wilson also made several contentious decisions that went against Australia – some of which were overturned – during the fourth Test against India at the MCG in December.
On day five in Melbourne, with the match on the line, Wilson turned down Australia’s caught behind appeal when Yashasvi Jaiswal appeared to get bat on ball down the leg side. Replays showed it was out.
In the following Test at the SCG, Wilson, as third umpire, gave Virat Kohli not out from the first ball he faced after Steve Smith dived forward in the slips and scooped up a catch to Marnus Labuschagne in the gully.
Wilson thought the ball had touched the ground but a number of former Test greats disagreed.
“You can see his fingers clearly under the ball,” former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said in commentary for Channel Seven.
Wilson was also involved in Australia’s recent Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle as one of the match officials who reported Kuhnemann for a suspected illegal action.
Kuhnemann, who took 16 wickets at an average of 17.18 in the two Tests, was cleared of any wrongdoing and is free to continue bowling.
Kuhnemann’s mentor, John Davison, told this masthead last month Australia’s best left-arm orthodox spinner had been made a “scapegoat” by officials.
Joel Wilson chats to Pat Cummins during the 2023 Ashes series. Credit: Reuters
“I’d be encouraging Joel Wilson to get his decisions right, rather than get too involved in other parts of the game,” Davison said.
Kuhnemann spoke about the impact of being cited in an interview with this masthead last week.
“I was lucky I had a great support network around me to deal with it because it was so public, but there’s definitely better ways to do it, and if it doesn’t have to be public then so be it.”
During the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan in 2023, Wilson had two decisions overturned in two balls, prompting former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram to declare Wilson was having a “shocker”.
Wilson has been involved in 67 Tests, 140 one-day internationals and 71 T20 Internationals.
ICC chair Jay Shah thanked Wilson and congratulated incoming umpires Allahudien Paleker (South Africa) and Alex Wharf (England) on being added to the panel.
“We would … like to place on record our sincere thanks to both Joel and Michael for their services to the world game, over a number of years,” Shah said in a statement.
Australia has two umpires on the international panel; Rod Tucker and Paul Reiffel.
ICC Elite Panel of Umpires (2025-26)
Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka), Christopher Gaffaney (New Zealand), Adrian Holdstock (South Africa), Richard Illingworth (England), Richard Kettleborough (England), Nitin Menon (India), Allahudien Paleker (South Africa), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan), Paul Reiffel (Australia), Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid (Bangladesh), Rodney Tucker (Australia), Alex Wharf (England).