London: Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting believes that the choice of replacement ball during Australia’s second innings on the fourth day of fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval was a “huge blunder” which “needs to be investigated”.
Umpires Joel Wilson and Kumar Dharmasena changed the ball after the first ball of the 37th over was delivered, deeming that it had gone out of shape after Usman Khawaja was struck on the helmet by a Mark Wood delivery. Only 11 balls were bowled on the second afternoon following the ball change. The replacement appeared to be way harder and newer than the ball used previously. England then went on to take three early wickets on the first session of fifth day as Australia chased 384 to win, with Chris Woakes getting openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja and Mark Wood getting Marnus Labuschagne. Ponting feels that umpires had been either “blas” (indifferent) in their approach of changing the ball or had not been provided with a proper replacement in a box of balls brought on-pitch by fourth umpire David Millns.
“The biggest concern I have is the big discrepancy in the condition of the ball that was chosen to replace the one [that had gone out of shape],” Ponting said on Sky Sports.
England’s assistant batting coach Marcus Trescothick said on the second evening that the new ball was “just a bit harder” than the old. “The boys could sense the ball was making a different sound off the bat,” he said. “Immediately, there is a bit more life in it. Balls seem to have gone very soft, very fast in this game – and this series. Both captains have tried to change them on numerous occasions,” he added. An ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo: “We do not comment on on-field decisions. As you would expect, umpiring performance is continually evaluated.”