It has been a difficult series for Australia skipper Tim Paine when it comes to the DRS as he himself deemed it a "mare" that he is having after twice failing to review the umpires' reversible decision in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval. 

England batsman Joe Denly should've been out LBW on 54 off Mitchell Marsh when Paine opted not to review the not-out decision. He went on to score 94 as the hosts stretched their 69-run first innings lead to 382 with still two wickets left on Day 3. 

Jos Buttler could well have departed for only 19 but made 47 as the Aussie captain decided to not to try and overturn the not-out LBW decision against him off Nathan Lyon. 

"I'm getting it wrong," Paine told reporters after the day's play on Saturday (September 14). "I don't know what else to say. We're having a mare (nightmare). We've got it wrong."

"It's fast. It's a tough job as I've said throughout the whole Test series. I've got a new respect for umpiring, particularly in Test cricket because it's a hard job."

Paine also said the game may seem beyond Australia's reach at the moment but his team would definitely try and win the series outright.

"The only thing that's been a bit upsetting this Test match is our catching and our referrals but that's not anything new."

The leader also described Steve Smith as a "freak" after he took an outstanding catch while diving to his right to help dismiss Chris Woakes. 

"Cricketers like him, I think Stokes is the same, they're just in the contest and in the game all the time. That's what makes great cricketers great because they're always in the contest, they're always aware of what's happening. It was a pretty special catch," Paine said. 

(Inputs from AFP)