The ongoing Ashes between Australia and England produced yet another controversial run-out decision during the second day of the fifth Test and England’s Stuart Broad is not amused by it at all. The incident involved Steve Smith who went on to add another 29 runs following the decision as Australia secured a slender 12-run lead in the first innings.
As for the play in context, Smith ran for a double in the 78th over of the innings while batting on 42. England substitute George Ealham came running from deep midwicket and fired a rocket throw which Jonny Bairstow collected and dislodged the bail. Smith appeared short of crease despite a full-length dive but the replay suggested a close call. Have a look at the video here:
Third umpire Nitin Menon, after multiple replays, adjudged Smith not out and Broad thinks there was enough grey area to give Smith not out.
“I honestly don’t know the rules,” Broad said. “I think there was enough grey area to give that not out. It looked like benefit of the doubt sort of stuff, first angle I saw I thought out, and then the side angle it looked like the bails probably dislodged.”
Under the rules, a bail has to be completely removed in order to run out a batsman. Law 29.1 reads, “The wicket is broken when at least one bail is completely removed from the top of the stumps, or one or more stumps is removed from the ground.”
Smith too acknowledged Ealham’s swift arm. “I know now that he’s very quick,” he said. “The next one we hit out there when it was a similar push for two, I was like, gee, this guy’s tearing around the boundary, he’s coming at pace. Had I known that previously I might have just stayed there for the single.”
Nonetheless, England bundled out Australia for 295 in their first innings to end the second day and the two teams will now engage in a one-inning shoot out to come out on top. While England are looking to end the five-Test series 2-2, Australia are aiming to win their first Ashes in England in over two decades.
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