Joe Root survived a tense Decision Review System (DRS) moment on Day 2 of the third Ashes Test at Adelaide after Australia challenged an on-field not-out decision for a caught-behind appeal, even though UltraEdge showed a clear inside edge.
The incident occurred when Scott Boland bowled a back-of-a-length delivery that jagged back into Root. The England batter got an inside edge, and the ball deflected off his pads before flying towards Alex Carey behind the stumps. Carey dived forward and appeared to take the ball low, prompting Australia to opt for a review.
However, while UltraEdge (Snicko) confirmed contact between bat and ball, the key question for the third umpire was whether the ball had carried cleanly to the wicketkeeper.
Replays showed that after the inside edge, the ball brushed Root’s pads and dipped sharply. Multiple camera angles indicated that the ball landed on the turf just in front of Carey before being scooped up. Under cricket’s laws, a catch is only valid if the ball is taken cleanly without touching the ground.
Since there was no conclusive evidence that Carey had caught the ball on the full, the third umpire ruled that the ball had bounced. As per protocol, when doubt exists over a clean catch, the benefit goes to the batter. The original on-field decision of not out was therefore upheld.
In summary, Root was not reprieved because the edge was in doubt — Snicko clearly showed contact — but because the catch itself was deemed not clean. That distinction proved decisive, allowing England’s former captain to survive a crucial moment early in their reply.