Mitchell Starc openly criticised the Real-Time Snickometer after a series of controversial DRS calls during the third Ashes Test at Adelaide, saying the technology should be “sacked” following repeated errors.
The Australian pacer was clearly frustrated with what he felt were inconsistent decisions that went against his team across the first two days, even though Australia remained firmly on top of the match.
The controversy began on Day 1 when Australia appealed for a caught-behind against Alex Carey. Snicko showed a spike, but it appeared before the ball reached the bat, and the on-field decision of not out stood.
Later in the day, Carey admitted he had edged the ball. Officials then revealed that the wrong stump microphone had been selected, a mistake that raised serious questions about the system’s accuracy.
England’s review for the incident was eventually reinstated, but by then the damage was done. Carey went on to score a crucial 106, helping Australia post 371 after being put under pressure early.
Australia’s anger grew on Day 2 during another review, this time involving Jamie Smith. Smith played a hook shot, and Australia challenged the not-out decision to check whether the ball had touched the glove.
Snicko showed a spike that officials ruled as contact with the helmet rather than the glove. The decision stayed not out, leaving the Australian players visibly annoyed once again.
Starc did not hold back when asked about the incidents. “Snicko needs to be sacked. That’s the worst technology there is. They made a mistake the other day and they made another mistake today,” he said.
From Australia’s point of view, both calls went against them, and both came at key moments in the game. The repeated reliance on audio spikes, combined with errors in microphone selection, made players question how much trust could be placed in the system.
Despite the frustration, Australia were still well in control of the Test. At stumps on Day 2, England were still 158 runs behind with only two wickets in hand.
Australia also already lead the Ashes series 2–0, meaning the Snicko controversy did little to change the bigger picture of their dominance so far.
Still, Starc’s comments have reignited debate around the use of RTS and how technology is managed during high-pressure moments in Test cricket, especially in a series as intense as the Ashes.