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'I hold no grudges' - Sammy moves on from TV umpire debate

West Indies coach said the match officials admitted there were errors made during the first Test in Barbados

Andrew McGlashan
Andrew McGlashan
02-Jul-2025 • 11 hrs ago
Daren Sammy oversees West Indies' preparations, England vs West Indies, 1st ODI, preview day, Edgbaston, May 28, 2025

Daren Sammy oversees West Indies' preparations  •  Getty Images

West Indies coach Daren Sammy said that the match officials have admitted there were errors made during the first Test in Barbados, but insisted he holds no grudges against Adrian Holdstock, who will move from being the TV umpire to on-field in Grenada.
Sammy was fined 15% of his match fee and handed a demerit point after he questioned the work of Holdstock, particularly decisions against Roston Chase and Shai Hope, adding he had held concerns from the recent England tour. Chase was also highly critical after the match but has escaped any ICC sanction.
"I said I wouldn't want my players to do that press conference because of the questions I think that would have been posted at them," Sammy said. "I strongly believed in what I said.
"We've had further chats [with the officials]. They've clarified some stuff. There has been some admission of error as well. This was Barbados and we're now in Grenada, so we've left that behind."
Asked whether he regretted his comments about Holdstock, Sammy said, "I don't hold grudges. I said what I said, based on what I saw. I've been punished for it. I wish Adrian all the best, to be honest. I mean, we're all human. I have nothing against the umpires. I really wish he has an awesome game."
Australia have not been drawn into any debate around the umpiring, although they have admitted they came out on the right side of it in Barbados. But Alex Carey had fears his diving catch to remove Hope would be given not out when he saw the replays on the big screen.
Carey dived full-length to his left to take an inside edge off the bowling of Beau Webster from Hope, who was well-set on 48 in his first Test for three-and-a-half years. Carey was convinced he had taken the catch cleanly.
It was eventually confirmed as out by Holdstock. Earlier in the game, he had ruled a low catch by Hope from Travis Head in Australia's first innings as not out.
"I thought it was out straightaway, yes," Carey said. "I wasn't confident it was going to stay out when I saw the replay, to be honest. It's been a really difficult shift in the third umpiring in what's out and what's not out. Your opinion is different to my opinion.
"I thought that was a pretty difficult game, to have five, six, seven 50-50 examples for the third umpire. He's not going to please everyone up there, but I thought he did a really good job. We obviously know the other side and the other camp was a little bit disappointed with some of them. I understand that.
"But I did think it was out. I never thought I fumbled the ball or had any reason to question the decision. It was a pleasing one to take. A good batter as well, who was scoring some runs."
Holdstock will stand with Richard Kettleborough in Grenada and then with Nitin Menon in Jamaica. Kettleborough will be standing in his 93rd Test, going past David Shepherd's count of 92 as the most by an English umpire.

Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo

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