West Indies Captain Chase Demands Umpire Accountability After Contentious Test Loss to Australia

West Indies Captain Demands Umpire Accountability Following Test Defeat

Roston Chase, the captain of the West Indies, is advocating for increased accountability for match officials after his team's 159-run loss to Australia in the first Test match held in Barbados. Chase voiced his concerns regarding a series of contentious umpiring decisions that he believes negatively impacted the West Indies' performance.

Chase believes poor calls undermined the West Indies' efforts. © AFP

Chase expressed his frustration, stating, "It's frustrating because as players, when we mess up or we do stuff that people don't like, we're penalized harshly, but the officials, nothing ever happens to them. They just have a wrong decision or questionable decision and life just goes on. So, it's a bit unfair in my estimation."

He further emphasized the potential impact on players' careers: "You're talking about guys' careers. One bad decision could make or break a guy's career. I just think that it should be an even playground in terms of when players step out of line, they're penalized. I think that there should be some penalty put in place when you have blatant decisions going against you."

Chase acknowledged that his team performed well in dismissing Australia for 180 but felt that the subsequent umpiring controversies hampered their progress. He specifically highlighted two dismissals during the West Indies' first innings, where he was given out lbw and Shai Hope was caught behind, both decisions being heavily disputed.

"This game is a frustrating one for me and for the team because we bowled out Australia for a relatively low score. We were very happy with that, but then there were so many questionable calls in the game and none of them went our way," Chase lamented. "I mean, as a player, you're out there, you're giving your all, you're fighting. And then nothing is going your way. It could be heartbreaking."

He elaborated on how these decisions disrupted the West Indies' momentum: "You see what set batters can do on the wicket. The wicket is one where once you get in, you can get runs, but the hardest part is to get in. Me and Shai Hope were going well and then, obviously, we had some questionable calls. That really set us back in terms of creating a big lead on the total that Australia set."

Chase concluded by saying, "It's clear to see anyone would feel bad or feel hurt about those decisions. You're out there playing to win, giving it your all and it seems like everyone is against you."

Daren Sammy, the head coach of the West Indies, had previously raised concerns about the consistency of TV umpire Adrian Holdstock.