‘Worst technology’ - Ashes legends bash Snicko after horror calls on day 2 in Adelaide Test

Snicko, the edge-detection technology, has come under the scanner for two howlers during the ongoing Adelaide Test, with Ashes heroes, including former England captain Nasser Hussain and Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc, bashing it left, right and centre. After England had their review reinstated by the match referee Jeff Crowe following a Snicko error that gave Alex Carey a life on day one, Cricket Australia chief executive sought clarification over its previous and latest malfunctions on day two involving England keeper Jamie Smith.

Smith was the concerned batter on both occasions on Thursday when snicko errors left him and the Australian camp fuming. The first instance was when the replays saved Smith, who was hit on his glove, with the ball falling into Usman Khawaja’s hands in the second slip, only for the snicko to rule it out, leaving everyone, including Starc, boiling over this decision. He was on record calling out for the technology to be sacked, labelling it as the worst ever.

WATCH - Snicko's first error on day two in Adelaide -

"Snicko needs to be sacked. That's the worst technology there is," Starc said, standing close to the stump microphone, after the decision was confirmed. "They make a mistake the other day, and they make another mistake today.

Later, after two overs, Smith was at the receiving end for getting adjudged out (caught behind) off Cummins, despite not edging it, as the snicko showed otherwise, leading to Nasser Hussain commenting on the technology’s reliability in such a high-octane series.

Unlike on the previous occasion when the snicko showed a spike as soon as it surpassed both bat and gloves, it again showed one (the second time), but after it had surpassed the bat, leading to confusion and frustration for everyone. The on-field umpires, however, did not make a decision the second time, referring it to the third umpire Gaffaney, who called out the shot.

“England aren’t 2-0 down and had another bad day because of Snicko. England are not losing the Ashes because of the Snicko,” Hussain told Sky Sports before continuing.

“But I will say everyone out here has lost faith in Snicko. You could hear on the stump mic, some of the Australian players saying ‘it’s a joke’ or that ‘it’s a terrible system’. The crowd in the stands or the people watching at home have completely lost faith in the system. Then you get into dangerous territory. You have the third umpire guessing. They’re trying to work out when the noise came, when the ball did went past the bat,” he said of the technology.

Meanwhile, as things stand, England is trailing by 158 runs with two wickets remaining in the first innings.