In the aftermath of Australia’s 134-run defeat to South Africa in the World Cup, the Australian camp has expressed dissatisfaction with the third umpire’s decision regarding Marcus Stoinis’s dismissal. Both batter Marnus Labuschagne and coach Andrew McDonald have voiced their intent to seek clarity from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The contentious moment occurred when Marcus Stoinis was adjudged out caught behind in the 18th over, after a review by South Africa. The Ultra edge displayed a spike as the ball appeared to touch Stoinis’s bottom hand. However, what added to the confusion was the debate over whether both the top and bottom hand were connected to the bat.

In response to the situation, Coach Andrew McDonald stated, “You have got to accept the umpire’s decision in these moments. I’m sure there will be some sort of explanation coming from the ICC around the dismissal.”

Marnus Labuschagne, who was at the non-striker’s end during the incident, emphasized the importance of seeking clarity due to the World Cup context. He noted, “We will get clarity or will seek clarity because it’s the World Cup.”

Labuschagne also pointed out the confusion on the field, saying, “The umpires really did not know what was going on. They saw what we saw, so it wasn’t too much going on. For me, it looked on the field… his hand was off the bat, it hit the glove, and because it didn’t go to the side-on angle, Marcus and I were just asking if they have checked.”

The third umpire’s room, with its high-resolution screens, provided a different perspective, but Labuschagne expressed his doubts, “Once again I have been in the third umpire’s room, and the screen is big, much clearer than me watching from the middle on the pixelated screen.”

The Australian team also experienced another controversial decision as Steve Smith was ruled out after a South Africa review. The ball tracking technology showed that it was hitting the leg stump. Coach McDonald recognized the challenge of contesting technology, saying, “It’s hard to contest technology. There was potential that it was going outside leg, but technology had it hitting the stumps.”

Despite these challenges, McDonald acknowledged the quality of players like Smith and Stoinis, expressing that given the opportunity, they could have taken the match closer.