Featured Image Credit: TNT Sports
Topics: England, Australia, Cricket, Fan Reactions
Ryan Smart
Fans spotted a major issue with TNT Sports' coverage after hearing the commentary of Steve Smith's wicket during the fourth Ashes Test match.
A total of 20 wickets fell on the first day of the Test between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australia were bowled out for just 152 in their first innings, with England having won the toss and elected to bowl first on a green wicket.
But Ben Stokes' side could only reach 110 all out in reply, with Harry Brook scoring 41 off 34 balls.
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Josh Tongue had earlier his first five-wicket haul outside of English conditions, including the prized wicket of stand-in Australia captain Steve Smith.
Tongue was unfortunate to miss out on selection in Perth and Melbourne, with his second-innings 4/70 in Adelaide suggesting that England had missed a trick in not picking him earlier.
But his wicket of Smith, which saw the 36-year-old clean bowled, left viewers watching TNT's coverage overnight less than happy.
Even before the ball had left Tongue's hand and pitched, commentator Rob Hatch had already proclaimed that Smith had been bowled, alongside the sound of the stumps being rearranged.
As the sound was not in sync with the pictures, viewers then saw the wicket while already knowing what had happened.
SPORTbible have contacted TNT Sports for comment.
Reacting to the clip, one fan wrote: "Nobody wants to know he's been bowled before they see it. It's the fourth Test ffs."
Another agreed: "Four Test matches in and they haven't rectified it."
A third said: "Knew he was out 10 seconds before it was thrown, brilliant coverage."
While a fourth noted: "TNT hasn't even fixed the audio sync for the social media clips."
The audio sync at certain points has been a common complaint among viewers throughout the Ashes series.
Later in Australia's first innings, the sound of the stumps being clattered could be heard shortly before Tongue bowled Mitchell Starc.
At the beginning of the series, TNT announced that they would be adopting a 'hybrid' model, with some commentators operating remotely and others calling the action from the grounds.
Hatch is in Melbourne for the fourth Test, with an interview he conducted with England director of cricket Rob Key being broadcast on TNT's pre-match coverage.
Co-commentators Graeme Swann and Sir Alastair Cook, meanwhile, are also in Melbourne and are on-air, alongside presenter Becky Ives, during the intervals of play.
Matt Prior and Steven Finn have also conducted in-person duties, though the pundits are being rotated as Finn flew home after the third Test and Prior was only Down Under for Brisbane.
Australian expertise has been sought, with former Australia stars Jason Gillespie, Justin Langer, Brad Haddin and Darren Lehmann among the contributors to TNT's coverage.
With England already 3-0 down in the series heading into the Boxing Day Test, Cook made his feelings clear on a key error that England made before the Ashes began.
"Some of that [Rob Key's] interview, when he's saying, 'We've been really thorough', I actually don't think they have," Cook said. "In this tour.
"I think they've been quite haphazard, and just gone on a whim. If they'd have won, they'd get credit for thinking differently.
"This has been a real reminder that the traditional values of Test cricket, and traditional values of selection, are still important.
"These guys have totally and utterly said that county cricket is irrelevant. There's a massive disconnect, at this minute, from this England side to county cricket.
"That needs to be addressed. If you're banging out runs, or banging out wickets, in county cricket, there must be a path to the Test team. I think at the minute there isn't."