During the first session of the fifth day, England’s ball change from the night before made all the difference.
After requesting to have the ball changed during yesterday’s play for loss of shape, the English were gifted a much newer ball by the umpires.
🗣️ @plalor on the ball swap which has caused all sorts of headaches for Australian batsman.
— SEN Cricket (@SEN_Cricket) July 31, 2023
‘I cannot believe that those two umpires thought the ball was a like-for-like replacement.’
Thoughts? #SENCricket #Ashes2023 🏏
It helped capture the wickets of David Warner (60) Usman Khawaja (72) and Marnus Labuschagne (13) earlier on Monday and has proved much more difficult to face than the older ball.
The newer ball has made Australia’s prospects of victory even more difficult than they already were as they attempt to chase 384 runs.
Aussies batters playing and missing/false shot percentage in this innings:
— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) July 31, 2023
Before the ball change: 16%
In the 10 overs after the ball change: 38%#Ashes
It’s caused uproar amongst the public and commentators alike.
“They’ve (Australian fans) got a point,” former England opener Mark Butcher said on commentary.
“Disgraceful,” Callum Ferguson added on Nine.
Isn’t it supposed to be like for like when you change the ball 🤔
— Glenn Mitchell (@MitchellGlenn) July 31, 2023
Must have been a small sample size in the box yesterday
🏏 #Ashes #ENGvAUS pic.twitter.com/CGvNwnbw9n