'Really poor': Langer, Paine discuss DRS bungles

Coach Justin Langer and captain Tim Paine have refused to blame under-fire umpire Joel Wilson for his blunder in the thrilling final stages of the Headingley Test, with both men saying Australia need to improve their use of the Decision Review System (DRS).

Australia would have won the Leeds Test by a solitary run had Wilson given out Ben Stokes leg before wicket late in the match, with replays showing the West Indian official erred in not raising his finger.

Image Id: 0115211E92AC48D3B9E1C024DD93E93F Image Caption: Lyon pleads in vain for the wicket on Stokes // Getty

The umpiring mistake was compounded by the fact Australia had no course of action to review the decision after Paine had wasted his final referral in the previous over, which he later said was his one regret from the match.

While conceding he hasn't used the DRS well throughout the series, Paine suggested the correct decision would have ultimately been made had Wilson raised his finger and allowed England – who had one review available to them – to challenge the call.

"I can't fathom why or how that wasn't given out at the time," Paine told the Nine Network.

"Because England had … referrals left, so if it was (incorrectly) given out, the correct decision is then made from upstairs.

"But that's OK, it happened. We've got to control what we can control. We've got to use our reviews better. But that one in particular is hard to take at the moment."

But Langer said the fact Australia had no reviews left should not have factored into Wilson's thinking.

"The umpire should make the decision he thinks is right, regardless of reviews (remaining)," the coach said.

"If they think it's out, they should give it. If they don't, they should give it not out. The review system is as it is and sometimes they go your way, sometimes they don't.

"We've been really poor at it this whole series. We talked a lot about getting better at our reviews. There wasn't so many this game as there were at Lord's (in the second Test), but certainly we have control of that."

Wilson had been criticised after making a series of incorrect decisions in the first Ashes Test earlier this month, but the Headingley match signals the end of his involvement in the series. A combination of Ruchira Palliyaguruge – who has umpired just three Tests previously – and experienced veterans Marais Erasmus and Kumar Dharmasena will stand in the final two Tests.

Paine was left to regret some pivotal non-referrals at Lord's last week, notably one that would have sent Stokes on his way for just six before the left-hander went on to post an unbeaten century in the drawn match.

Having admitted his DRS failings throughout the series, Paine said he was in no position to criticise Wilson for getting the decision wrong and indicated he would hand the responsibility to one of his teammates in the final two Tests.

"I don't think I've got a referral correct the whole series, so I can't sit here and bag the umpires," he said.

"To sit down and single out an umpire is unnecessary. He is no different to everyone else, he is allowed to make mistakes.

"I've got every review wrong so far, so I'm going to give up and give it to someone else."

Paine was slammed by a host of former Australian Test players for reviewing a not-out decision against England's No.11 Jack Leach in the third-last over at Headingley, which ultimately cost Australia a chance at overturning Wilson's incorrect call an over later.

Replays showed the ball to the left-handed Leach was pitching outside leg stump by a significant margin, and former skipper Ian Chappell said Paine "lost his brain" when he asked for the third umpire's opinion.

Another ex-Australian skipper Mark Taylor added Paine had used his reviews "frivolously", while wicketkeeping great Ian Healy said the skipper "burnt a review stupidly".

But Paine said both he and vice-captain Pat Cummins, who bowled the ball to Leach, believed the ball might have pitched in line with the stumps.

"Patty Cummins said, 'I think it might have pitched in line, but I think he hit it'," Paine said. "And I said, 'he definitely didn't hit it', but I was worried about where it pitched.

"And it was just a spur of the moment, we'll have a dabble at it. And got it wrong."

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Chris Woakes.

First Test: Australia beat England by 251 runs at Edgbaston

Second Test: Match drawn at Lord's

Third Test: England defeat Australia by one wicket at Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval