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Cricket: Australian captain Steve Smith controversially dismissed in third ODI against England Jan 21st, 2018 
The questionable dismissal of Australian captain Steve Smith in the third one-day international against England left many scratching their heads, including the skipper himself.

Following Australia's 16-run defeat at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the decision to uphold an out call against Smith caused plenty of controversy. Smith was given out, an edge caught by England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler off a Mark Wood delivery. But replays appeared to show Buttler failed to get to the low catch before the ball hit the ground.

Third umpire Kumar Dharmasena took four minutes to conclude there wasn't enough evidence to overturn the soft on-field decision.

"I'm not sure I'm a big fan of the ruling with the soft signal," a disappointed Smith said of the call after his side's loss.

"If the fielder goes up and sort of celebrates, they usually get given out and if you're a bit apprehensive about what's happened they normally get given not-out and it's hard for them to overturn the decision.

"I'd actually like for the third-umpire to have to make the decision."

Smith fell just short of a half-century (45) as the Aussies went on to lose the match, and subsequently the series, for their first home ODI series defeat in seven years.

"I think I caught it. I think any wicketkeeper would tell you that was out, so for me, yeh that was out," Buttler told ABC Grandstand.


4 minutes ago00:29


Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis was in devastating form in the ODI against England in Colombo.
7 hours ago00:43


9 hours ago00:51

Smith calls for rule change

In Nine's post-match analysis, Aussie cricket legends and commentators Mark Taylor and Michael Slater hotly debated the controversial call.

"If I'd have been the umpire, I would have overturned," Taylor said.

"Not sure that carried, surely that's doubtful, surely that should be overturned.

"Personally I think there is enough evidence there to overturn but obviously Kumar Dharmasena didn't think so.

"If we take away that soft decision, that'll be not out for sure, everything that goes upstairs would be not-out, we had 11 in a row a couple of years ago before they brought in the soft decision because as soon as you send it up, it creates doubt."

I’m pretty sure it was out: Buttler

Slater echoed Smith's point about the need for third umpires to be more decisive.

"The problem we've got is this soft signal and however it goes up determines how it ends up unless it is conclusive. I saw that as conclusive of the ball hitting the deck," Slater said.

"There it was given out soft signal, I saw it not-out, it should have been overturned. They've got that wrong."

On social media the debate continued.

Even former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was unsure the officials had made the right decision.

"There’s enough there for me too. I’m not sure about this soft signal. Get rid of the soft signal," Pietersen said after the dismissal.

"We’ve got enough technology and broadcast out there we should be able to make decisions off the camera and take the decisions away. It’s a very, very big passage of play that."



Cricket: Australian captain Steve Smith fumes as England take unassailable 3-0 lead in one-day series


Australia to review their ODI failures
