During a high scoring encounter in Perth, Australia failed to chase down England’s 208-6 and slipped 1-0 down in the three-match T20I series. Wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade seemed to be blocking Mark Wood as the bowler tried to take a return catch after the southpaw top-edged a delivery onto his helmet.
Wood and Jos Buttler, who was behind the stumps, immediately turned to the umpires in frustration, but play resumed after Wade consulted medical staff for the blow on his head.
Several cricket experts argued that Wade was guilty of obstructing the field.
Is that not out?!? Surely Wade is stopping Wood get the ball there… #AUSvENG
— Henry Collier (@HM_Collier) October 9, 2022
If that isn’t obstructing the field what is?
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) October 9, 2022
Has to be obstructed the field.
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) October 9, 2022
Matthew Wade clearly obstructed Mark Wood. He may not have known where the ball was, but he definitely stuck his arm out to stop Wood #AUSvENG #Cricket pic.twitter.com/0AG8Y92yKF
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) October 9, 2022
After the match, England skipper Buttler spoke on the Wade-Wood incident and said: “I wasn’t sure what happened. They asked if I wanted to appeal, and I thought, ‘We’re here for a long time in Australia. I would be a risky one to go for so early in the trip.”
This incident has once again brought up the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ debate to the fore. This time around, the Indian cricket fraternity questioned England and Buttler for not appealing against Wade.
Well well well. Why are the poms quiet now #cricket @ECB_cricket @StuartBroad8 @benstokes38 https://t.co/qoBQG7Kcfk
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) October 9, 2022
Are our English friends (the custodians of the Spirit of the Game) quiet on this? https://t.co/yseC13fSdZ
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 9, 2022
Pathetic , in one word this is Cheating, not in the spirit of the game and Obstructing the field and what a terrible excuse from Jos Buttler to not appeal. The sense of entitlement of these guys is unbelievable. Bullshitting about spirit of the game when there is no spirit. https://t.co/4WrbX7Qwb3
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) October 9, 2022
In 2015, when Ben Stokes was given out for obstructing the field, Wade was one of the first players to make an appeal. And the then Australia captain Steve Smith later said: “Wadey had a good view of it behind the stumps. He said straight away that he thought the ball was missing stokessy and it was going to hit the stumps. So he appealed and we went upstairs and the umpire gave it out.”
