Controversy over Miller's DRS call which became the turning point of 3rd ODI

Australia vs South Africa 3rd ODI: There was a debate whether the DRS protocol was followed when umpire Aleem Dar decided to go upstairs after David Miller was given out LBW. The DRS call saved Miller and he went to forge the highest ever partnership against Australia in ODIs.

Controversy is never too far from a South Africa-Australia fixture. The magnitude of it differs with some going on to change the way cricket is looked at in a country because of a ball-tampering saga and some leaving the players with a few demerit points (Kagiso Rabada would know it). During the series-deciding 3^rd ODI though, surprisingly, it was not a player tussle or an act of dissent that attracted eyeballs. It was, in fact, a DRS call that left everyone scratching their heads.

In the 33^rd over of the South African innings, David Miller, on 41, was given out LBW by umpire Aleem Dar off the bowling of Glenn Maxwell. After considerable discussion, it was South African captain Faf du Plessis, who signalled for DRS to which a perplexed umpire Dar did not respond. Miller, the one who should have made the decision about DRS, then crossed his right arm in towards his left (both considerably low to draw in conclusion). Umpire Dar, however, went with the cross-arm gesture of Miller decided to go upstairs.

The ball tracking suggested that the ball would have gone on to miss the stumps and Miller survived as the decision was overturned.

So what exactly was the problem? There was a huge one actually. According to the DRS protocol, it is the batsman involved in a dismissal, who should be making the final DRS call by making a clear signal of ‘T’ and not nobody else, not even the non-striker, irrespective of the fact whether he is the captain or not. In this case, it was evident that it was the non-striker – du Plessis – who decided to go for the DRS and even signalled for it. Miller neither looked certain nor did his cross-arm gesture was convincing enough for the on-field umpire to go for a DRS.

If that was not all, there was another debate about the time it took for the South African pair to let the umpire know about their decision.

It was a borderline call with host broadcaster Fox Sports putting a stop clock on it which came to 18 seconds, although the time restriction is again not always enforced strictly.

Miller went on to make 139 off 108 balls and shared a partnership of 252 with du Plessis – the highest ever ODI partnership against Australia. South Africa took 172 runs in the last 15 overs – the most Australia conceded since 2001.

In reply, Australia could only manage 280 for 9 and South Africa won the match and series.