Nitin Menon adjudges Smith not-out after deliberating over tight run-out

India’s Nitin Menon who is the third umpire for the ongoing fifth Ashes 2023 Test at The Oval divided opinions with his bold decision to give Steve Smith not-out following a tight run out appeal.

The Australian lynchpin attempted to sneak a brace after ticking Chris Woakes round the corner. As substitute fielder George Ealham fired a quick throw back to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, Smith put his body on the line to try and make his ground before the bails were removed. The appeal for the run out went upstairs and Smith thought he was gone after watching the first replay on the giant screen.

However, Nitin Menon deliberated. He started looking at the moment when the bails were dislodged from different angles and investigated the slow-motion footage. While Bairstow had made contact with the stumps when Smith was short of his crease, the bails came out completely only after his bat was slid in, only just. Menon adjudged Smith not out considering the point when either bail comes out of its groove is taken into account and by then, Smith was home.