The 10th match of the ODI World Cup 2023 between South Africa and Australia witnessed a one-sided affair as Proteas emerged victorious, defeating the Aussies by a staggering margin of 134 runs. This win solidified South Africa’s unbeaten run in the tournament and marked Australia’s biggest defeat in World Cup history.
While South Africa’s victory was impressive, the match was marred by two controversial third-umpire decisions that went against Australian batters Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis. These decisions ignited a major controversy and discussions surrounding the accuracy of technology in cricket.
Smith and Stoinis’ argumentative dismissal
Smith was dismissed in a manner that raised eyebrows and drew criticism. Initially, he was given not out on the field, but South Africa opted for a review. The ball-tracking technology displayed the white leather hitting the leg-stump, leading to an ‘out’ decision. This decision was a contentious point as it initially appeared that the ball would miss the stumps.
Similarly, Stoinis faced a debatable decision. He was given out caught behind after a review, primarily due to the contact between his bottom hand and the top hand, off which the ball deflected to the wicketkeeper. The on-field decision was not out, but South Africa’s review changed the course of the game in their favor.
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Kagiso Rabada shares his perspective
Kagiso Rabada, the South African fast bowler responsible for both contentious dismissals, shared his thoughts on the controversial decisions after the game. Regarding Smith’s dismissal, Rabada reckoned he was expecting an ‘umpire’s call’ outcome of the review, indicating that he believed the decision was marginal and that the technology could have swung in favor of the batter.
“I was hoping for ‘umpire’s call.’ I felt as if it just skidded through and didn’t really bounce much… The technology favored us today, but I thought it was close. I don’t think it was as obvious as ‘missing,'” said Rabada after the match.
When it comes to Stoinis’ dismissal, Rabada believed the ball had made contact with Stoinis’ thigh pad rather than the bat. Additionally, he mentioned that his teammates in the field heard a sound that resembled the ball touching the wooden part of the bat.
“I initially thought it hit his thigh pad, and my teammates around me felt that they heard a woody sound. Stoinis didn’t look so convincing. I think he looked as if he felt he had touched it,” added Rabada.
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