Umpires Joel Wilson and Chris Gaffaney omitted from Ashes series

Following disgraceful umpiring in the ongoing Ashes series, Joel Wilson and Chris Gaffaney have been taken out of charge from remainder of the Ashes series.

Marais Erasmus and new comer Sri Lankan umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge will come as replacements of Wilson and Gaffaney for the fourth Test at Old Trafford starting from Wednesday. The third umpire will be Kumar Dharmasena.

Erasmus will also be in charge for the fifth Test at the Oval, while Palliyaguruge Dharmasena will switch responsibilities.

West Indies’ Joel Wilson came under fire following his denial to give Ben Stokes leg before wicket in the crunch situation of the third Ashes Test. Just several deliveries after that, the English all-rounder hit winning runs taking his team to level the series one all.

Wilson badly reputed for his dismal performance in the first Test at Edgbaston where a record eight decisions given by him were overturned by the third umpire. It can be noted that Wilson was elevated to the ICC’s Elite Umpire panel in July this year.

Chris Gaffaney from New Zealand also had seven decisions overturned in Leeds.

Reportedly 50 decisions that were sent for review in the first three Tests, were 19 times overturned.

Australian skipper Tim Paine, although did not defuse Wilson’s decision in the third Test that let England to register an incredible one-wicket victory, expressed his shocks over the incident.

“England had two referrals, so if it was given out the correct decision would have been made upstairs,”

Paine said.

“I saw it live, that’s all I needed to see”.

“I don’t want to watch that again,” Paine said.

“To sit down and single out an umpire is unnecessary. He is no different to everyone else, he is allowed to make mistakes.

“I’ve got every review wrong, so I’m going to give up and give it to someone else,” he added.