Judge what you see, Sammy to TV umpire during WI vs AUS Test in Barbados

Sammy admitted the repeated nature of questionable calls was making it harder to trust the process. While he stopped short of confirming a formal complaint, he hinted that discussions were underway

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy voiced serious concerns over TV umpire Adrian Holdstock’s decision-making during the second day of the Barbados Test against Australia. Speaking after the day’s play, a visibly frustrated Sammy said he had sought clarity from match referee Javagal Srinath regarding the process followed by the TV umpire. While emphasising that errors are part of the game, Sammy said all he wanted was fairness and consistency across decisions. His remarks stemmed from two major incidents on Day 2, both of which went against the home team. Sammy revealed this wasn’t the first time he had issues with Holdstock’s officiating, pointing back to previous concerns raised during a series in England. 

Chase’s LBW dismissal raises eyebrows

The first flashpoint occurred just after lunch, when Roston Chase was adjudged leg-before to Pat Cummins. The delivery darted in sharply from outside off and stayed low, striking Chase on the pad. The West Indies believed the ball had taken an inside edge before hitting the pad, citing a spike on UltraEdge and a visible deviation. Sammy expressed his disappointment, saying the team felt the ball had changed direction off the bat and questioned why the TV umpire didn’t account for that.

Contentious catch call against Hope

The tension only escalated a few overs later when Shai Hope inside-edged a delivery from Beau Webster and was caught by Alex Carey. Though the catch looked close to the ground, Holdstock deemed it clean. Sammy, however, found the inconsistency troubling, pointing out that if one incident was ruled not out due to doubt, then the same principle should have applied here. He said the images the team reviewed did not support the TV umpire’s conclusion.

Seeking clarity, says Sammy

Sammy clarified that he didn’t want his players commenting on officiating, citing ICC rules and potential penalties. But he admitted the repeated nature of questionable calls was making it harder to trust the process. While he stopped short of confirming a formal complaint, he hinted that discussions were underway.

Australia not entirely happy either

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc also noted some discrepancies, especially when one of their appeals against Chase was turned down earlier in the day. Starc remarked that the technology appeared misaligned during one review and that players could only hope for consistency, as the final verdict lay beyond their control.