Cummins calls for change on catch review process

Pat Cummins has called for change to how catches taken close to the ground are adjudicated after three separate incidents sparked division and debate during Australia's final NRMA Insurance Test against South Africa.

Speaking to cricket.com.au after the drawn Test on Sunday, Steve Smith conceded his day-four grab, a one-hander off Dean Elgar at second slip, probably touched the turf. But Smith, like Simon Harmer when he took a low catch off Marnus Labsuschagne on day three, was adamant his final-day snare going forward to an edge off Nathan Lyon's bowling was clean.

In both those instances, the on-field umpire's soft signal was 'out', indicating they agreed with the fielder that the catches were legitimate.

Yet the television umpire Richard Kettleborough, on those two catches as well as Smith's other close one, ruled in favour of the batter on all three occasions.  

Both Cummins and his opposite number Dean Elgar expressed a level of sympathy for Kettleborough's difficult task, but the Australian insisted the current system requires an overhaul.

"I feel for the umpires in that sort of situation. I don't really know the answers but there has to be a way to improve it," said Cummins.

"As it currently stands, it's really hard to give a batter out. If there's any kind of doubt it goes the batter's way.

"With a couple of camera angles really slowed down it's pretty hard … I do feel for 'Ketts' (Kettleborough) up there. I don't know the answer but there surely there can be some small changes we can make to get a bit more definitive answers.

"I know there are 30-40 cameras here at the ground, it looks like the third umpire only has a couple of those angles available. Maybe there's more of those angles we can use down the track.

"Money to be made for someone with a good idea."

Australian players have suggested they thought Harmer's catch was also fair.

Smith conceded himself there was enough doubt over his diving grab off Elgar where he appeared to slide the ball along the grass in the act of completing the catch.

"Yesterday I was bit more uncertain than today. I was pretty certain I got underneath the one today," Smith said. "Because my wrist was kind of flexed I think I may have slid it along the grass potentially, but today I was pretty sure I got underneath it.

"I think those ones that are close to the turf always don’t look right. But today I felt the slap on my fingers and I knew I was under the ball.

"That happens – the umpire is there to make a decision."

Sunday's call on Smith’s second catch came under the microscope, with experts suggesting the elevated profile of the Sydney wicket table created the illusion the ball was closer to the grass than it really was.

The use of topsoil over time means the SCG square, like other non-drop-in pitch Test venues in Australia, sits slightly higher than the rest of the outfield.

"This is the crown of the square that has betrayed Steve Smith – I think he's caught that, but the camera angle and the crown will suggest it's hit the ground," former Test spinner Kerry O'Keefe, who played 42 first-class games at the SCG, told Fox Cricket.

Channel Seven's Trent Copeland, another NSW veteran who has played extensively at the Sydney venue, also criticised the process of that review given the inconclusiveness of replays provided to Kettleborough.

Former Test umpire Simon Taufel revealed this week the International Cricket Council has recently changed its guidance to officials on how much weight the soft signal should carry.

"The ICC did tweak its third umpire protocols in this area last year, where the soft signal in this particular case with a fair catch would carry less weight, only if the TV replays were inconclusive or poor, or non-existent," Taufel told Seven.

But, by the letter of the law, the soft signal should still hold considerable sway if the TV umpire feels replays do not show decisive evidence.

"If the third umpire advises that the replay evidence is inconclusive, the on-field decision communicated at the start of the consultation process shall stand," state the ICC's playing conditions.

Josh Hazlewood believes the television umpire should be given even more power.

"You should probably take the soft call completely out of it," Hazlewood said on Saturday.

"Obviously (if) the two umpires aren't sure on field and I think it should basically just go straight to the third umpire with 'We're uncertain, you make the call'.

"They're sort of biased by that decision on-field and then they can't really find a lot to overturn it."

Men's NRMA Insurance Test Series v South Africa

First Test: Australia won by six wickets

Second Test: Australia won by an innings and 182 runs

Jan 4-8: Match Drawn

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, David Warner

South Africa squad: Dean Elgar (c), Temba Bavuma, Gerald Coetzee, Theunis de Bruyn, Sarel Eree, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Heinrich Klaasen, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams, Khaya Zondo