Australia are currently taking on England at the Adelaide Oval in the Ashes 2025/26 3rd Test. While the in-game action has generated lots of talking-points, much of the discussion is also taking place around the Snicko technology.
Snicko, officially known as Real Time Snickometer, is a broadcast and decision-review tool used in cricket to detect faint edges between bat and ball.
The tech came under fire from Australia’s veteran fast bowler, Mitchell Starc, earlier today, who was heard stating this about it on the stump mic:
“Snicko needs to be sacked. That’s the worst technology there is. They make a mistake the other day and they make another mistake today.“
This came after a caught-behind appeal against Jamie Smith off Pat Cummins went against the Aussies, as Snicko suggested there was no contact with the bat or gloves, and that the ball had hit the helmet instead.
Snicko’s Controversial Moment In Ashes 3rd Test: Watch Video
Jamie Smith was given not out after this decision, but what’s your take on this call?#Ashes | #DRSChallenge | @Westpac pic.twitter.com/4Yf3o7FgBj
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 18, 2025
The Snicko system uses highly sensitive microphones placed in the stumps to capture sound waves, which are then displayed as spikes on a graph synced with video footage.
When a batter plays at the ball, officials analyse whether a spike aligns with contact between bat and ball. While Snicko has improved decision-making, it is not infallible, as noises from bat hitting pad or ground can sometimes create misleading spikes.
It is worth noting that Snicko is prevelant mostly in Australia, whereas cricket contests in several other parts of the world, like India, use a different technology known as UltraEdge.
Nevertheless, despite this particular decision going against the home side, they are, as of this writing, well on top of the Three Lions in Adelaide.
