Australia-SA Test: Former Aussie cricketers slam DRS, term it 'a failure'

Perth, Nov 7: Close on the heels of Mitchell Marsh's controversial leg before dismissal during the opening cricket Test of the three-match series against South Africa at the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) ground here, former Aussie skipper Michael Clarke and pacer Mitchell Johnson termed the Decision Review System (DRS) as a "failure".

Match scorecard; Rabada shines as South Africa beat Australia by 177 runs

Marsh, on the fifth and final day of the match, was originally given not out after he was struck low on the pads of a Kagiso Rabada delivery.

Australia-SA Test: Former Aussie cricketers slam DRS, term it 'failure' — South Africa cricketers celebrate after Test win at Perth

However, the decision was over-turned when the ball-tracking technology showed it to be hitting more than 50 percent of Marsh's leg stump and he was sent back to the pavilion.

Following his dismissal, the DRS came under fire, with Johnson, former Australian captains Clarke and Mark Taylor all criticising the ball-tracking technology.

"I was certain that was missing the stumps. When you look at that replay, I thought it was definitely swinging too far and missing the leg stump. He'll be really disappointed with that. It has clipped his toe, then clipped his pad, and then got onto the bat," Clarke said while commentating on Channel 9.

(PHOTOS: South Africa hand Australia rare first Test defeat since 1988)

Both he and Taylor questioned the accuracy of the technology's ball path, Cricket Australia (CA) website reported.

"He was given not out so the technology has to prove that he was definitely out to overturn the decision.It almost looks like the ball seamed back a little bit and just done enough for 50 percent to hit the outside of the stump, meaning the not out call was overturned," Taylor said.

"I reckon the ball is going to flick the stumps at best. But to be overturned, Mitchell Marsh is very unlucky".

Echoing similar views, Marsh's batting partner Usman Khawaja questioned the on-field umpires.

South Africa won the first Test by 177 runs.

IANS