Australia captain Tim Paine admitted that he was having “a mare” after twice failing to take advantage of the decision review system (DRS) in the fifth Ashes Test, even though challenging the umpires’ decisions would have brought wickets.
England, seeking to level the series at 2-2, are in control of the final Test with two days to go, 382 runs ahead with two second-innings wickets left.
Australia on Saturday toiled in the field at the Oval on the third day of the match and were not helped by Paine’s misjudgements.
Joe Denly, who went on to score 94, should have been out leg before wicket to Mitchell Marsh when he was on 54, but Australia opted not to review the not-out decision.
Later on, the skipper, who is the team’s wicketkeeper, failed to review a not-out decision against Jos Buttler after an appeal for leg before wicket, with replays showing that Nathan Lyon’s delivery would have hit the stumps.
Buttler, then on 19, went on to score 47.
“I’m getting it wrong,” Paine said. “I don’t know what else to say. We’re having a mare [nightmare]. We’ve got it wrong. It’s fast — it’s a tough job as I’ve said throughout the whole Test series. I’ve got a new respect for umpiring, particularly in Test cricket because it’s a hard job.”
Asked what he could do about it, he said sarcastically that he would enroll in “umpiring school” when he returned home to Australia.
Paine said after his side’s defeat in the third Test at Headingley that he would be putting someone else in charge of the team’s reviews.
During the closing stages of that match, Lyon had an appeal for leg before wicket against Ben Stokes, but the England vice-captain was given not out.
Their misery was compounded when replays revealed that Stokes would have been given out.
Paine said that it was sometimes difficult to judge from behind the stumps, adding that he was not sure, for example, where the ball hit Denly.
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