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The recently concluded 2023 Ashes series between England and Australia was not short of drama and excitement, with both teams putting up fierce performances. However, amidst the thrilling clashes, a contentious event during the fifth and final Test caught the attention of cricket fans worldwide – the ball-change controversy.
During Day 4 of the final Test, with the match delicately poised, the ball was changed after 36 overs. However, Australia raised concerns about the replacement ball, alleging that it was shinier and harder than it should have been. The change of ball seemed to have a decisive impact as Australia lost crucial wickets in quick succession, ultimately leading to their defeat by a narrow margin of 49 runs.
The incident drew sharp criticism from cricketing legends, including former Australian captain Ricky Ponting and pace-bowling maestro Glenn McGrath. Ponting, in particular, expressed his disappointment and called for an investigation into the matter.
“There’s no way in the world you can even look at those two balls there and say in any way are they comparable. If you are going to change the ball, you want to make sure that you get it right, so it is as close as you possibly can to the one that you’re changing it from. Now if you have a look in that box, there weren’t too many older-condition balls in there. There were some older ones that were picked up, the umpires looked at that and threw them back,” Ponting voiced his concerns on Sky Sports.
Also READ: Ball-change event in 5th Test stirs up controversy; Aussies unhappy
ICC breaks silence over the red-hot debate
Amidst the uproar, the International Cricket Council (ICC) finally broke its silence on the contentious topic. The ICC clarified that they do not comment on the decisions made by umpires during matches, emphasizing that match officials bear the responsibility for on-field decisions, including dismissals, boundaries, run-outs, and other aspects of the game.
Furthermore, the ICC asserted that all cricket balls used in a match are pre-selected before the commencement of the game. This process ensures that match officials choose from a pre-approved set of balls when the situation demands a replacement. The aim is to ensure fairness and consistency in the game by selecting the closest possible match to the condition of the ball being replaced.
“The ICC does not comment on the decisions taken by umpires in matches. We can, however, confirm that all balls are pre-selected before the start of every match and when the situation calls for it, the match officials choose the ball that is closest to the condition of the ball that is being replaced,” ICC spokesperson said as quoted by NDTV.
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