- Cricket fans fumed at umpire Joel Wilson for a decision on Thursday
- It came as Sri Lanka ended the first day of the second Test at 229-2
Cricket fans were left scratching their heads on Thursday afternoon after Sri Lanka were forced to review a decision that many had claimed was clearly not out.
Kamindu Mendis arrived at the crease for the middle session on Day One of Australia‘s second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle and appeared to be caught behind off a delivery from Nathan Lyon.
The Aussie spinner seemingly claimed his 550th Test wicket, with umpire Joel Wison raising his finger to signal out.
While Australia celebrated the catch, Mendis, adamant that he had not clipped the ball, signalled for a review.
But the umpire was forced to overturn his decision after UltraEdge replays showed that there was a clear and substantial gap between Mendis’ bat and the ball with snicko showing no spike.
The left-handed all-rounder would stay at the crease but it would not be for long, with Mendis being dismissed by Travis Head for 13 runs off 21 balls.
Despite that, some fans were particularly critical of Wilson’s call.
‘Serious question. Has Joel Wilson ever got one right?’ one wrote on X.
Another added: ‘When Joel Wilson says OUT, the rest of the world knows that will be NOT OUT.’
‘Absolute elite Joel Wilson moment there. Close one. Only missed it by 5 or so cm,’ another added.
‘Shocker from Joel Wilson… missed by a mile… God knows what they were even appealing for,’ one social media user wrote.
It comes after Australia had been denied a stunning catch during their final Test against India last month.
Steve Smith had got a hand to an edge from Virat Kohli, just before the ball had appeared to touch the floor.
On the replay it had looked as though Smith had got his fingers under the ball before making the catch with Wilson, who was the third umpire for the match, voiding the catch claiming he thought the ball had touched the floor.
He also had a crucial decision overturned during the Boxing Day Test after Yashasvi Jaiswal had edged Pat Cummins’ delivery to Alex Carey behind the stumps.
The moment attracted much attention online because snicko did not show a spike but it seemed the ball’s flight had deviated after passing Jaiswal.
But Wilson was again overturned as he gave the decision not out.
The moment attracted scrutiny from some India fans, with the vice president of the BCCI Rajeev Shukla stating: ‘Yashasvi Jaiswal was clearly not out. The third umpire should have taken note of what technology was suggesting. While overruling the field umpire, the third umpire should have solid reasons.’
Sunil Gavaskar even slammed the third umpire’s call.
‘I think maybe there will be conversations with maybe the match referee and the umpires that if the technology is not to be taken, then why have it at all?’ the India cricket legend told Channel 7.
‘That is something that will definitely be the query as far as the Indians are concerned. Yes, it looked as though it might have gone off the glove but there can be an optical illusion.’
Yet Pat Cummins and Rohit Sharma both seemed in agreement that the ball had touched part of Jaiswal’s glove as it passed on to Carey behind the stumps.
Despite the moment, Sri Lanka finished Day One in Galle on 229-9 with Kusal Mendis (59) and Lahiru Kumara (0) still at the crease.
