Drama erupted on the ultimate day of the fifth and remaining Ashes 2025-26 Take a look at on the Sydney Cricket Floor (SCG) as one other controversial Snicko choice left England and Ben Stokes livid and reignited a rising debate over using know-how within the recreation of cricket.
Snicko sparks fiery scenes at SCG as Ben Stokes and England boil over
Throughout Australia’s chase of 160, England thought that they had an early breakthrough when Brydon Carse delivered a pointy ball to Jake Weatherald. The English gamers had been satisfied the ball brushed the bat and carried cleanly to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Nonetheless, the on-field umpire, Ahsan Raza, didn’t increase the finger, prompting Stokes to go for a evaluate. When the replays had been proven, a faint however clear spike appeared on Snicko because the ball handed the bat. Each replay proven on the massive display sparked cheers from the England supporters within the crowd throughout the New Yr’s Take a look at on the SCG.
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Nonetheless, these cheers rapidly was loud boos when the third umpire didn’t overturn the choice, giving a lifeline to Weatherald within the remaining Ashes Take a look at. This name triggered an indignant response from Carse. He walked straight as much as umpire Raza and appeared to position his arm on the umpire’s shoulder whereas expressing his frustration.
Stokes steps in, Carse loses management in fiery Ashes conflict
Sensing the state of affairs might escalate, Stokes instantly stepped in and pushed away Carse earlier than having phrases with the on-field umpire. Nonetheless, the stress didn’t cease there, as Carse exchanged heated phrases with Weatherald after finishing the ultimate ball of his over on the SCG.
As he walked again to his mark, the England pacer additionally ran into Travis Head, including extra gasoline to an already fiery second. Due to these actions, Carse might now face scrutiny from the ICC match referee Jeff Crowe, particularly for making contact with each Head and the umpire.
This incident was solely the most recent within the Ashes sequence, the place Snicko know-how made headlines for its errors. Each Australian and English gamers have overtly proven disappointment with how the system labored throughout the Ashes, with the third Take a look at in Adelaide turning into a significant speaking level.
In that match, a transparent error occurred when Alex Carey was not given out on 72 regardless of edging the ball. Carey went on to attain a century, and after the match, the corporate chargeable for Snicko accepted full accountability, admitting it was as a consequence of human error.
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At the moment, Stokes had admitted that the match officers had been solely following the prevailing tips. Nonetheless, the choice over Weatherald left the England captain confused and annoyed, particularly as a result of the spike on Snicko appeared clear to many watching.
The England captain strongly pushed the necessity for consistency and backed the concept the identical know-how ought to be used in every single place in world cricket. He felt conditions like this could not preserve taking place and questioned why completely different requirements exist throughout nations and sequence.
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Ben Stokes mentioned on the post-match press convention, “This one right here, I simply thought was out. There was a noise, a body after the ball clearly handed the bat … so it ought to have been given out. The place has the consistency gone? I simply don’t get it. Why will we not use the identical know-how all all over the world?”
Why Completely different Guidelines In every single place?
Stokes additionally made it clear that these selections weren’t the rationale England misplaced the Ashes 4-1, however he identified that the problem retains coming again repeatedly, creating pointless controversy.
He signed off by saying, “This sort of stuff shouldn’t be spoken about, as a result of that’s not the rationale why we’ve misplaced [the series] 4-1, however the truth that it retains on developing … one thing ought to be achieved about it. Simply use the identical know-how in every single place simply so we don’t have to take a seat up right here and have these conversations.”
“This one right here, I simply thought it was out.”
England captain Ben Stokes weighs in on the DRS debate after the controversial Jake Weatherald choice. #Ashes pic.twitter.com/SYhvnF1zXW
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 8, 2026
