The Ashes series this year once again sparked controversy when Steve Smith narrowly survived a run-out chance on the second day of the final Test. This incident follows the previous controversies at Lord’s and Old Trafford, leaving fans divided. England’s wicketkeeper, Jonny Bairstow, was involved in a minor mistake while attempting to run out Smith at The Oval, resulting in a heated debate. Despite this controversy, Australia ended the day with a lead of 12 runs, having been all out for 295 in response to England’s 283.
The pivotal moment occurred when Smith, batting with Pat Cummins, played a shot to the vacant midwicket region and attempted to score two runs. Substitute fielder George Ealham swiftly retrieved the ball and threw it over the bails where Bairstow was positioned. The decision was referred to the TV umpire, Niton Menon, who faced a challenging task in making a ruling. Initially, Smith began walking off the field and the English team started celebrating, but the TV umpire carefully reviewed the footage and determined that Bairstow had dislodged the off-stump bail with his gloves before gaining control of the ball.
The laws governing this situation, specifically Law 29.1 and Law 29.2.1.5, state that the wicket is considered broken when at least one bail is completely removed or when a stump is struck out of the ground by a fielder using their hand or arm, while holding the ball.
After surviving the run-out scare, Smith went on to score 71 runs before getting dismissed while attempting to hit a delivery from Woakes through the leg side. This led to a spectacular catch by Bairstow, who ran back towards the boundary to make the catch.
Opinions on the run-out controversy varied among commentators. Former England opener Mark Butcher believed it was a difficult decision for the TV umpire, while former England captain Nasser Hussain supported the ruling of not out. Ian Ward, another former England opener, leaned towards the decision being out, but Mark Taylor, former Australian skipper, questioned his conclusion. Dinesh Karthik, former Indian wicketkeeper, agreed with the TV umpire’s decision and criticized Bairstow’s glovework.
During the second session of play, the Australian team struggled to score runs, with Marnus Labuschagne batting slowly and eventually getting dismissed by Joe Root’s brilliant catch. The Australians only managed to score 54 runs at a rate of 2.07 runs per over during this session. Usman Khawaja contributed 47 runs before being caught lbw by Stuart Broad, who along with James Anderson, caused havoc for the Australian team. Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, and Mitchell Starc also fell during the second session, resulting in a loss of 5-71 for Australia. However, Smith and Cummins managed to stabilize the innings with a 54-run partnership, followed by Cummins and Todd Murphy’s contribution of 49 runs. Smith top-scored with 71 runs, while Murphy impressed with three sixes against Mark Wood, one of England’s fastest bowlers.
On the third day, England’s second innings will begin with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett at the crease. The Ashes series has witnessed numerous epic moments over the years, highlighting the century scores, impressive bowling performances, exceptional deliveries, remarkable catches, and heroic efforts that define this historic cricket rivalry. To stay updated with the latest breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, remember to subscribe to our newsletter.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
