Australia and South Africa are locking horns with each other in the final game of the three-match Test series at the Sydney Cricket Ground. There were numerous incidents where batters managed to survive a dismissal due to the technology and the third umpires by the barest of margins. Such an incident occurred on Wednesday when Manus Labuschagne, despite being given out by the on-field umpire after a catch by Simon Harmer, got his decision overturned by TV umpire Richard Kettleborough.

Dean Elgar’s South Africa has already conceded the series by losing back-to-back contests in a humiliating manner. On Day 1 of the third and final Test in Sydney, the visitors failed to make a comeback in the game as the hosts rode on Marnus Labuschagne’s unbeaten 73 and Usman Khawaja’s unbeaten 51, reached 138/1 after 43 overs until bad light stopped play during the second session.

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However, South Africa felt they had Labuschagne caught at first slip by Simon Harmer, only for the decision to be overturned later on. The incident happened during the 40th over of Australia’s innings when Labuschagne, batting on 70, tried to drive Marco Jansen’s fullish outside off-stump delivery but he only managed to find a thick outside edge.

The ball went to the left of Simon Harmer, who reached down and plucked it close to the ground. Each and every South African cricketer leaped in joy assuming they got a crucial wicket, and when they saw the on-field umpires were discussing whether it was a clean catch, some of them, including wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne, signaled towards them it was a clean catch. The on-field umpire Paul Reiffel convinced, and gave the soft signal as out before sending it upstairs.

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However, TV umpire Richard Kettleborough decided to overturn the decision. He checked several angles and zoomed in to check whether Harmer’s fingers were under the ball or not. A few minutes later, a side angle suggested the ball might touch the ground. A loud cheer came from the Sydney crowd when he said on air, “the ball may be on the floor.” After that, he told Reiffel to change the decision, which predictably South African cricketers did not like as there was little conclusive evidence to overturn it.

Here is the video of the catch from Simon Harmer:

https://twitter.com/minibus2022/status/1610476995405819904?s=20&t=VCYIBwZTml5dVqMEHUrUTg

Labuschagne given out caught. South Africans claimed the catch. The front on replay looked like it was caught. Side on view looked inconclusive at best. Yet the third umpire overturned the decision. The Proteas were hard done by there. #AUSvSA

— St Neil 🔴⚪️⚫️🇦🇺 (@neil_saints) January 4, 2023

Kettleborough is a top class Umpire, I’m sure I’ve seen him and Gaffaney nail an entire Test Match. That was out, no CLEAR evidence it wasn’t. But he’s a great umpire so I’m good with his decision. That’s cricket. Weird game eh #AUSvsSA

— Toby Draper (@Lerone17) January 4, 2023

https://twitter.com/c_mcmannerson/status/1610478989226946561?s=20&t=_4MnU-4luR_xSpVkN3KoMg

Ball touched the ground before catch completed but harmer confident he caught cleanly and claim he caught marnus labuschagne catch#AUSvSA #AUSvsSA pic.twitter.com/uYd6zsRmpm

— Somnath Chakraborty (@Somnath44333169) January 4, 2023

Labuschagne was given out on field with the soft signal of out for a low catch at slip

Ball hit the ground, not out!#AUSvSA

— ThePoppingCrease (@PoppingCreaseSA) January 4, 2023

Pretty weird call from the 3rd umpire… that was surely inconclusive – And the soft signal was out.

— Harold Siyaya (@Haroldsiyaya) January 4, 2023

Terrible call.

— Kenneth Petersen 🏴 (@Kenny_Ronin) January 4, 2023