Another debate over a low catch broke out on the third day of the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, when Steve Smith edged behind to Joe Root, with the third umpire adjudging the ball hadn’t carried by the finest of margins.

England were searching for their third wicket in the evening session, having opened up a first innings lead of 271. With heavy rain scheduled for tomorrow and further showers for Day Five, it’s a race against the clouds to bowl Australia out. However, they almost got a much-needed breakthrough two overs after David Warner chopped on.

Chris Woakes found Smith’s edge and the ball went towards Root at first slip. The ball looked to die on him just as it reached his hands, however, and Root did not claim the catch upon taking the ball. The umpires, however, decided to send the catch upstairs to check whether it had gone into his hands cleanly.

The call looked much closer on replay than Root’s reaction suggested. Although the balls was very close to the ground, it was unclear whether Root had indeed managed to get his fingers underneath it. TV umpire Kumar Dharmasena was satisfied that the ball had been grounded and gave a verdict of not out.

“Steve Smith’s heart would have been in his mouth for a short while there,” said Mark Butcher on commentary. “But in the end Kumar Dharmasena has given the only decision he could have given.”

“I think a lot of the time you can go on the fielder’s reaction,” replied Ricky Ponting. “There’s certain times when you’re 100 per cent positive you’ve caught it, I think if he was positive there, Joe, he would’ve thrown that straight up. The fact that he looked down at the ground as well, he actually kept his eyes down to see if he could find a spot where it might have touched the grass.

“They are so close, they are so touch and go. Making a decision there, if the ball has actually bounced up off of the ground and into the palm of his hand or whether it’s bounced up off the end of his fingers and gone up into the palm of his hand.”

“Both of which are possible,” added Butcher.

Smith was eventually bounced out by Mark Wood for 17. He flicked at a short ball directed down the leg side and got a small touch on it with his bat, through to Jonny Baistow.

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