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Out or not out? Third umpire in the spotlight during Barbados Test

A couple of tight lbws and a stunning caught behind were among the decisions to go upstairs

ESPNcricinfo staff
26-Jun-2025 • 4 hrs ago
The Barbados Test match between West Indies and Australia is only in its second day, but there has been plenty of action for third umpire Adrian Holdstock. Here's how ESPNcricinfo's ball-by-ball commentary recorded each moment.

Australia 1st innings: 45.2 - Shamar Joseph to Travis Head

Has that carried?! Shamar is pleading, and the umpires are checking now with their colleague upstairs! On a length outside off. Head throws the kitchen sink at it and the ball grazes the under-edge. Seems to bounce before getting to Hope, who was also unsure about it. No doubt about the nick, which is anyway confirmed by UltraEdge. But hang on. Hang on...This could be a lot closer than it first seemed. The ball seems to carry through to Hope, but the third umpire (Adrian Holdstock) says that there is no conclusive evidence that the ball has carried. Oh my word - that call will be debated long after this day is done, and how big a decision will that prove to be?!

West Indies 1st innings: 20.6 - Josh Hazlewood to Roston Chase

Inside edge runs to fine leg but Australia review! They think it was pad before inside edge. This is tight for the third umpire. He deems the inside edge was first and it runs to fine leg for a single. Australia are bemused but they lose a review. It was a good delivery nipping and nearly sneaking through

West Indies 1st innings: 49.2 - Pat Cummins to Roston Chase

Given lbw. Chase reviews immediately! Back of a length on middle and off and it shoots low as he went back to defend. Chase thinks he got a little inside edge before it thudded into the back pad. It was going to cannon into middle. Ultraedge isn't showing conclusive spikes although there are a couple of smaller ones close together. Adrian Holdstock says there's a clear gap between bat and ball but then wants to rock and roll it a lot. He says there's a spike but there's a gap between bat and ball. He concludes there is no bat involved. Ball tracking has it hitting in line and smashing the top of middle. Chase is out and they lose the review.

West Indies 1st innings: 57.3 - Beau Webster to Shai Hope

Brilliant one hander from Carey! Caught behind off the inside edge! Webster produces another beauty. Good length, wobble seam, it nips in, catches the inside edge and Carey flings himself full stretch to his left to take but hang on! It sticks in the glove but did part of the ball touch the ground as he fell to the ground? Adrian Holdstock says it's cleanly in the gloves! Part of the ball may have been touching the ground as his glove landed on the ground even though it never came out of the glove. Another contentious decision by the TV umpire. Hope had already left the field of play though. He never hung around which was interesting.

Australia 2nd innings: 24.1 Justin Greaves to Cameron Green

Massive lbw shout, not given! Back of a length, pitching in and around off stump before jagging back in sharply. Green is a little late on the stroke and seems to play outside the line. Gets pinned in front and West Indies, after a bit of deliberation, opt to take it upstairs. Did Green get a scratch to it? Was it too high? Ah, here we go again. The bat, pad and the ball are all in close proximity. But it does seem like the ball grazes the front pad first, before the bat hits the flap of the back pad, subsequently making contact with the ball. Adrian Holdstock, in the eye of the storm again, is doing a lot of rocking and rolling, and he decides that there is bat involved, despite a rumbling on UltraEdge when the ball is next to the knee roll of the front pad. Well well. Another decision that might rankle those with a West Indian persuasion, and Green survives!