The series opener, in what is effectively a warm-up ahead of the T20 World Cup, was delicately poised with Australia at 170 for 5 and needing 39 off 23 balls when Wade top-edged a fierce short delivery from speedster Mark Wood into his helmet that then ballooned into the air.
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Wood ran towards the batter’s end in a desperate effort to take the return catch but was blocked by a seemingly shaken Wade, who then impeded the quick by sticking his arm out as he tried to get back into his ground.
Buttler was asked by the on-field umpires whether he wanted to appeal, but declined as Wade survived and needed his helmet replaced. England skipper Jos Buttler said that he wasn’t quite aware of what happened between Matthew Wade and Mark Wood in the dying stages of the opening T20I against Australia at Perth Stadium.
“I was looking at the ball the whole time, so I wasn’t sure what happened. They asked if I wanted to appeal, but I thought we are here for a long time in Australia so would be a risky one to go for so early in the trip,” Buttler was quoted as saying after the match.
Buttler, however, said that he may not mind appealing if a similar incident happened during the World Cup. “Maybe, yeah,” he added.
He also added that he couldn’t appeal as they had just started the Australian tour which is still far from getting over. Appealing would have meant backlash from the local press and fans.
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Coming back to the match, England openers Alex Hales and Jos Buttler blasted half-centuries to lead England to an eight-run win over Australia on Sunday in the first of three warm-up games before the T20 World Cup starts later this month.
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