'Should be banned': England slammed over 'absurd' Ashes tactic
England drew the ire of the cricket world on day four at Edgbaston with their constant attempts to get the ball changed.
With Steve Smith plundering runs to all parts of the ground with no signs of letting up, the hosts were desperate for anything to change things up.
‘TRULY UNBELIEVABLE’: Steve Smith betters Bradman with crazy Ashes feat
‘CLEARLY MADE CONTACT’: Ashes controversy erupts over obscure rules drama
After Australia successfully got the ball changed early on day three because it was out of shape, they promptly took three quick wickets to turn the match on its head.
So Joe Root thought he’d try the same tactic in an attempt to get one that might swing.
During Sunday’s morning session, play was stopped on numerous occasions as Root got the umpires to check the shape of the ball.
But every time it passed straight through the umpires’ rings that they use to assess the ball’s state.
If the ball doesn’t pass through both rings it can be changed.
England greats slam ‘absurd’ tactic
However with every unsuccessful attempt the frustration among fans and commentators grew, with former England skippers Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton slamming Root in commentary.
Atherton suggested the Poms were trying to ‘fool’ the umpires.
“Oldest trick in the book, isn’t it?” Atherton said in commentary.
“If you’re not happy with the ball and it’s not doing enough, you try and get it changed but the umpires are not easily fooled.”
Hussain, who at one stage described England’s tactics as “absurd” added: “So what if it’s (ball) out of shape a little bit? You get a ball for 80 overs, you keep it and then you change it.
“It’s part of the natural progression of a ball when it gets battered around.
“Stop all these delays, mind games and tricks.
“They are basically trying to change it because it’s not doing anything.”
Fans were also less than impressed, taking to social media with their frustrations.
#ashes2019 this attempting to get the ball changed (by both sides) should be banned. As should player reviews. There are 4 umpires at a test match, surely they can sort out a decision between them. #getonwiththegame @BumbleCricket @nassercricket @Athersmike
— Justin Rourke (@Justin_Rourke) August 4, 2019
how many overs do England usually wait before asking for the ball to be changed if it doesn't move around as much as they like?#ENGvAUS
— Luke (@LukeAus) August 4, 2019
This ball change is a disgrace, you should have to bowl all 80 overs unless the ball has split and actually broken. How is it fair that the changed ball is a newer and better specification? This means that England are being heavily disadvantaged @SkyCricket
— AdamSPV (@adam_spv) August 2, 2019
How many more times are England gonna try get this ball changed? #Ashes19
— Julian Viglietti (@VigliettiJulian) August 4, 2019
This passing the ball to the umpire every two overs needs to stop. Unless the ball is literally falling apart, it shouldn’t be changed for 80 overs. The Aussies shouldn’t have been allowed to (which brought two wickets) and England shouldn’t be allowed to #TheAshes #ENGvAUS
— Craig Perrin (@craigperrin) August 4, 2019
And fans were even more flummoxed when Root decided not to take the new ball when it was available after 80 overs.
Hang on, I’ve just tuned back in and England haven’t taken the new ball? After trying half the day to get it changed? #Ashes
— Laura Caughey (@el_cee17) August 4, 2019
England spend 59 overs trying to get the ball changed.
Get offered the new ball...#Ashes19 pic.twitter.com/uEzZPkoISm— Dave Walker (@blossoxen) August 4, 2019
Why have England spent 80 overs trying to get the ball changed and now they're allowed to swap it they decide not to #bbccricket
— Dr Felix B Rowbotham OBE (@FelixRowbotham) August 4, 2019
All that fuss England have made trying to get the ball changed and yet here they are not taking the new ball
— Daniel Brigham (@dan_brigham) August 4, 2019
In comical scenes, the ball was finally changed after James Pattinson clubbed a six and it landed in a fan’s beer.
But only after Root made umpire Joel Wilson smell it.
England have wanted the ball changed all day. James Pattinson obliged! 🤣
WATCH: @9Gem
STREAM: https://t.co/ARaHMPPTti #9WWOS #Ashes pic.twitter.com/N6XM9sBFMM— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) August 4, 2019
Smith and Head put Aussies in control
Smith and Matthew Wade's centuries have given Nathan Lyon an ideal platform to bowl Australia to victory at Edgbaston, where England will enter day five in survival mode after being set a target of 398.
Smith's 142 and Wade's 110 were the highlights of a fourth day of dominance from Australia in Birmingham, where the visitors put themselves in the box seat for a comeback victory of epic proportions.
Tim Paine, whose quick-fire 34 compounded Joe Root's misery, eventually declared at 7-487 after forcing England to toil for 112 overs.
Lyon was handed the new ball and created some nervous moments but England survived seven tense overs to be 0-13 at stumps on Sunday.
Smith and Wade made the pitch look remarkably flat in a 126-run stand but Lyon should prove more potent and composed than counterpart Moeen Ali, whose figures of 2-130 included two no-balls for beamers.
"It's obviously going to be a day-five wicket and it started pretty dry from the outset," Smith said.
"There is quite a lot of rough that hopefully Gazza can exploit.
"Day-five wickets normally have some tricks in them. Hopefully we can see the ball going up and down a bit."
with AAP