Umpire Joel Wilson had an error-strewn game as Australia beat England by 251 runs in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston.
The 52-year-old from Trinidad tied the Test match record for the most decisions overturned by the Decision Review System (eight) and found himself in the firing line on social media.
Here, PA looks at Wilson’s role in the match, his career, and his future appearances in the Ashes.
Joining the elite
Dodgy decisions
Social media reaction
When Joel Wilson gives you OUT .. You just review it .. #Fact #Ashes
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 5, 2019
Wilson would have been wise to ignore social media after returning to the sanctuary of the dressing room. Wilson memes took over Twitter and, on Wikipedia, his entry had been changed to: “Joel Sheldon Wilson is a visually impaired international cricket umpire from Trinidad and Tobago”. He was touted as a “walking advert” for Ashes sponsors Specsavers. And he could not even escape criticism from those in the game with former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeting: “When Joel Wilson gives you OUT .. You just review it .. #Fact.” Ouch!
Future Ashes role
? Congratulations to @CricketAus who have won the first Test!
Next up, the #Ashes returns to Lord’s starting on Wednesday 14th August.#LoveLords | #ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/18IBSXPhbh
— Lord’s Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 5, 2019
Cricket fans might want to look away now. Wilson will be the TV umpire for the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, which starts on August 14. He will stand in the third Test at Headingley, but has no involvement in the final two games at Old Trafford and The Oval. The ICC will make a full assessment of each umpire’s performance based upon the daily log submitted by the match referee Ranjan Madugalle, clips from the game and the reports from the referee.
