Third Umpire Adrian Holdstock found himself in the middle of five controversial DRS decision.
The first Test of the Frank Worrell Trophy in Bridgetown has been full of action, with 24 wickets falling in just two days. After being bowled out for 180 in the first innings, Australia ended Day Two at 92/4, holding a lead of 82 runs. West Indies, in reply, scored 190 in their first innings.
But despite the tight contest, most of the attention has shifted to third umpire Adrian Holdstock. He found himself in the middle of five controversial DRS decision. These calls have sparked frustration in the Windies camp and left fans questioning the officiating. Here’s a look at the five major decisions that have stirred debate.
Day 1 of the Test between West Indies and Australia saw a controversial moment involving Travis Head and third umpire Adrian Holdstock. Shamar Joseph, who was one wicket away from a five-wicket haul, appeared to dismiss Head with a bottom edge in the 46th over. Wicketkeeper Shai Hope dived low and seemed to complete the catch.
Umpire Nitin Menon referred the decision to the third umpire, and UltraEdge showed an under-edge. Joseph and the West Indies players began celebrating what looked like his fifth wicket—until Adrian Holdstock ruled Head not out, saying there was no clear proof.
“I’ve got no clear evidence the ball has gone cleanly into the glove,” Holdstock explained after reviewing the replay. Without side-on camera views, Holdstock had to rely on limited front-on footage.
Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, commentating, was one of many unconvinced by the decision. “That won’t go down well. It certainly looked as though it landed on the glove,” he said, adding that the ball might have hit Hope’s fingers rather than the ground.
The second major DRS controversy came early on Day 2 of the West Indies vs Australia Test. West Indies were 4 for 57, still trailing by 123 runs, when Roston Chase nudged an incoming delivery from Josh Hazlewood towards fine leg for a single.
Australian captain Pat Cummins thought the ball had touched Chase’s front pad before hitting the bat and went for a review. UltraEdge showed a spike just before the ball hit the bat, leading to celebration from the Aussies. However, third umpire Adrian Holdstock ruled it not out.
The decision surprised Cummins and Hazlewood, who were seen discussing it with the on-field umpires.
On commentary, former Australian batter Greg Blewett said, “Hazlewood was a little bit concerned. He thought there might have been just a little bit of a spike, hitting the pad first… I actually think the right decision was made.”
Carlos Brathwaite later explained that the spike UltraEdge showed was in between frames, not in the main frame used for decision-making. He said, “That little spike in the frame before, I’m being told, is in between frames… not the edges on the left or right.”
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The third DRS controversy of the match came in the afternoon session when Roston Chase was given out LBW after being struck on the knee roll by a low delivery from Pat Cummins. It looked like a tough ball to play, but Chase felt he had hit it and immediately went for a review.
However, because his bat and pad were close together, UltraEdge couldn’t clearly show if there was contact with the bat. Third umpire Adrian Holdstock stuck with the on-field call, and Chase had to walk back for 44.
Former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop didn’t agree with the decision. He said on commentary, “I disagree with the decision. I disagree with the technology there, I thought he hit that… That clearly should have been not out. (Chase) is in bewilderment.”
Shakeera Selman, another former West Indies player, also felt there was an inside edge. “It seemed to have taken the inside edge of the bat. We all felt there was an edge before it came into contact with the pad,” she said.
The fourth DRS controversy came later in the afternoon session when Shai Hope was dismissed for 48. Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey dived low to his left to complete a stunning one-handed catch off the inside edge. However, before confirming the dismissal, the on-field umpires asked third umpire Adrian Holdstock to review the catch and check whether the ball had touched the ground.
Despite slow-motion replays suggesting the ball may have brushed the ground while still in Carey’s glove, Holdstock ruled the batter out. The decision didn’t sit well with West Indies coach Darren Sammy, who threw his arms up in frustration as the verdict appeared on the big screen. The home crowd echoed his reaction, clearly unimpressed by what they had witnessed.
“The emotions at the ground are a little bit high at the moment,” Greg Blewett said on commentary. It appears as though it touches the ground. I agree with the sentiments of the West Indies dressing room that they feel like they’ve been on the wrong end of some of the calls today,” he concluded.
Former West Indies spinner Samuel Badree added: “It’s unfortunate, it really is unfortunate.”
The fifth controversial moment involving third umpire Adrian Holdstock came during Australia’s second innings. Cameron Green, batting on 14, faced an LBW appeal from the West Indies which was reviewed.
Replays and UltraEdge suggested the ball might have brushed Green’s pad before making contact with the bat. However, Holdstock ruled him not out, judging that the sound on UltraEdge came from the bat hitting the back pad — not the ball hitting the pad.
The West Indies camp, including coach Darren Sammy, looked disappointed by the decision, and not everyone watching was convinced by the explanation.
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