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sundayterritorian.com.au SPORT

Any Joe blow stops DRS getting to Root of it allCRICKET

By JUSTIN CHADWICKin Perth

AHH yes, a Test series wouldn’t bethe same without DRS controversy.

The highly-criticised decisionreview system hardly made apeep during Australia’scrushing victories over England inBrisbane and Adelaide.

But England’s hopes of winningthe third Ashes Test in Perth weredented when the DRS popped up to

play a part in the demise of Joe Root.The 22-year-old was on four when hewas given out by umpire MaraisErasmus for edging Shane Watsonthrough to Brad Haddin.

Root was adamant that he neverhit the ball, and he immediatelycalled for a review.

Hot spot showed nothing.But snicko – which had only

recently been approved for DRS use– showed a faint sound.

However, that sound appeared tocome a split second after the ball had

passed the bat, and it wasn’tthe usual sharp squiggle associatedwith a bat-on-ball nick.

Snicko alone wouldn’t have beenenough to give Root out. But givenErasmus’s original call was out,third umpire Tony Hill needed to de-cide whether there was enough evi-dence to overturn the decision.

He didn’t think there was, muchto the displeasure of Root, whoshook his head in disbelief as hetrudged off the ground.

Australia have also felt they have

been dudded by the review systemat various times during the home-and-away Ashes series.

But sometimes it’s not the fault ofthe DRS technology, but rather thepeople who are manning them.

Hill and Erasmus were partof the umpiring team that made aseries of howlers during the lastAshes series in England.

There was the infamous timeat Trent Bridge when Stuart Broadedged spinner Ashton Agar to slipbut refused to walk.

DRS would have undoubtedlygiven Broad out on that occasion,but Australia did not have anychallenges left.

Then there was Usman Khawaja’sdismissal at Old Trafford,when he was given out caughtdespite replays showing thathe had not come close to connectingwith the ball.

Both the on-field umpire and DRSofficiator got it wrong that time.

Just like some players, DRS isproving hit-and-miss at times.

England forced toswallow dismissalCRICKET

ByROBERT CRADDOCK

Australia’s David Warner gives England batsman Joe Root a send off after his unsuccessful review at the WACA yesterday Picture: PHIL HILLYARD

It was a disappointing and

a key dismissal for us

ENGLAND remain ‘‘bitterly disap-pointed’’ by the controversial dis-missal of Joe Root, which tilted thebalance of the third Test yesterday.

Root walked off the WACA shakinghis head after a marathon third um-pire review saw him given out caughtbehind off what the umpire MaraisErasmus believed was a featherededge off Shane Watson.

Real Time Snicko picked up no edgeon Hot Spot and an unusually scram-

bled sound wave, which was justenough for the decision to stand.

Root was so adamant he did not hitthe ball he did not even speak to hiscaptain, Alastair Cook, before review-ing the decision.

‘‘It was a disappointing and a keydismissal for us,’’ opening batsmanMichael Carberry said.

‘‘He felt he did not hit the ball so hereviewed it,’’ Carberry said.

‘‘Obviously we are bitterly disap-pointed by that,’’ he said.

‘‘We were of the opinion he did nothit it. We don’t control the decisionof the third umpire so it is one ofthose things we have to swallow, Iam afraid.’’

Channel 9’s Ian Healy felt Rootwas unlucky.

‘‘I didn’t think technology sup-

ported the decision that he shouldhave been out,’’ Healy said.

‘‘I think there was a lack of evi-dence that could have overturned theumpire’s decision. I think Joe Rootwas hard done by.’’

Carberry, who made a fighting 43,still feels England are in the game.

‘‘Ideally we would have liked tohave lost less wickets but Australiabowled well and it was a good scrap,’’he said.

‘‘We are still in the hunt. They shutdown the scoring and when that hap-pens, wickets are likely to come.’’

Pom pairopeningupat last

OPENINGWOES

BRISBANE - Australia: 12and 67. England: 28 and 1.ADELAIDE - Australia 34and 4. England 9 and 1.PERTH - Australia 13.England 85.

CRICKET

By JUSTIN CHADWICKin Perth

A HAPPY relationshipneeds a strong foundation.

England’s opening part-nership was on rockyground during the firsttwo Ashes Tests after astring of low scores.

With Alastair Cook hor-ribly out of form, Eng-land’s best opening standwas a mere 28.

Their three other standswere single digit efforts.

But Cook and MichaelCarberry finally had some-thing to smile about yes-terday after sharing an85-run partnership in thethird Ashes Test at theWACA Ground.

The partnership was thehighest opening dig of theseries, bettering the 67 thatChris Rogers and DavidWarner combined for inthe first Test in Brisbane.

Cook walked to theWACA crease under im-mense pressure afteraveraging just 25.64 inseven Tests against Aust-ralia this year. But the28-year-old played a com-posed innings to give Eng-land a solid start in replyto Australia’s 385.

Carberry also did hisjob. But like he’s done formuch of this series failedto capitalise on a solidstart, chopping Ryan Har-ris onto his stumps for 43.

Carberry has passed 40on three occasions thisseries, but he has just onehalf-century to his nameand a highest score of 60.

Good players turn startsinto centuries.

Last year, Carberry tookup a job as an electricianafter thinking he wouldn’tget the chance to add to hisfirst Test against Bangla-desh in 2010.

But some solid form dur-ing the Ashes warm-upmatches catapulted himinto the side.

With England 2-0 downin the series, he and Cookhave some major work todo to turn things around.

Their first-innings standin Perth could be the startof something special.