World Cup 2023: Controversial dismissals mar Australia vs South Africa clash

Australia suffered their biggest ODI World Cup defeat — by 134 runs — against South Africa Thursday at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. The second consecutive defeat at the World Cup has pushed the Aussies to the ninth spot in the 10-team point stable, while the Proteas are now at the top. South Africa’s victory, however, was marred by two controversial umpiring decisions that went against Australia.

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At 50/2, Steve Smith was rapped on the pads by a Kagiso Rabada delivery that nipped back in. After umpire Joel Wilson refused to raise the finger, South African captain Temba Bavuma went for a review, and to everyone’s surprise, the HawkEye showed the ball clipping the leg stump but the TV broadcast failed to show the ball tracking and only the end result was shown that revealed three reds.

I was surprised initially by the Smith DRS verdict too. Smith was on his toes and I thought it would go over. But the last replay suggested it might have hit him lower than it first seemed.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 12, 2023

“I was looking at the screen and I actually said to Joel [Wilson] (of of the on-field umpires), ‘good decision’. Because from front-on, it just looked like it was going down leg straightaway. I felt like the angle was pushing down leg,” Marnus Labuschagne, who was batting at the other end, said about the decision after the match.

Rabada also said that he was hoping for ‘umpire’s call’ as a result of the review and not three reds.

“I was hoping for ‘umpires call’. I felt as if it just skidded through and didn’t really bounce much… The technology favoured us today, but I thought it was close. I don’t think it was as obvious as ‘missing’,” he said.

Can feel you Steve Smith .#AUSvsSA pic.twitter.com/a5MeXncxag

— Ehtisham Siddique (@iMShami_) October 12, 2023

Smith, however, had to leave the field bemused.

Read: South Africa appear to have finally cracked the code

Later in the 18th over, Marcus Stoinis was given out caught behind as Australia were relegated to 70/6 in their 312-run chase. Initially, Wilson gave it not out before South Africa went upstairs and third umpire Richard Kettleborough overturned the on-field decision, once again to the dismay of the Aussies.

On review, the UltraEdge showed that the ball had brushed Stoinis’ bottom hand before reaching the wicket-keeper. However, Sotinis seemed to have let go of the handle. but Kettleborough felt that both gloves were in contact.

“The hand is connected to his top hand, therefore in contact with the bat, and we’ve got a clear spike,” Kettleborough said.

Stoinis expressed his displeasure to the on-field umpires and protested the decision, indicating that his bottom hand wasn’t connected to the bat, but had to leave the pitch.

I reckon that’s a mistake… The right hand side makes it look as if the hands are touching, but the left hand side surely shows that they aren’t pic.twitter.com/Fld9R6IAqf

— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) October 12, 2023

Labuschagne, who was once again at the non-striker’s end, said he felt there was daylight between the two gloves.

“The umpires really didn’t know what was going on,” Labuschagne said. “They saw what we saw. It looked like his hand was off the bat – it hit the glove. Because they didn’t go to the side on angle – Marcus and I were asking have they checked. They just saw the spike front on.

“It looked like there was clear daylight between the two gloves and the handle. But I have been into the third umpire room and the screen is big and the picture is clearer than what we have on the screen.”

Australia were eventually bowled out for a 177 in 40.5 overs.