England Under Scrutiny for Controversial Ball Change in Win Over Sri Lanka
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The first Test at Old Trafford ended with England winning by five wickets, but not before controversy over what all-rounder Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka said was a “unfair” change of ball. The event happened in the second innings of Sri Lanka when England’s momentum turned around after the ball was switched, a move that Mathews thought was critical to turning the tide of the game.
The decision was made at a crucial moment and was approved by umpires Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel. There was some controversy about the ball change after the 41st over, when Sri Lanka was leading by just 24 runs at 4-146. Mathews had a solid 59 points, with 33 points from Kamindu Mendis.
Mathews vented his annoyance and clarified that Sri Lanka had put a lot of effort into eliminating the shine off the ball, which had been impeding England’s ability to bowl. But once the ball was switched, the game’s dynamics changed, giving England the upper hand again.
With a ball that was tougher and with a more noticeable seam, England’s fast bowlers were able to regain their competitiveness. The crucial moment arrived when Chris Woakes removed Angelo Mathews in the tenth over following the ball change. After being squared up by a crisp delivery, the veteran edged it to gully, where the catch was comfortably secured. This ended a strong partnership that had scored 78 crucial runs at the fifth wicket.
This discovery was a crucial turning point that gave England the upper hand once more. Mathews regretted that prior to the alteration, his squad was in a solid position.
“To tell the truth, that was unfortunate. Before the fourth day of play began, Mathews said to Test Match Special, “Yesterday we were sitting pretty until the ball was changed.”
“I believe that both teams’ hitters may be treated unfairly because they want to get rid of the hard, sparkling ball, and as we passed the 48-over mark, I believe we were playing them quite easily.
I believe the game’s entire momentum altered after the ball was switched. It was somewhat challenging when it began to swing both ways and nip back in. The ball was replaced, which was bad since it started swinging and altered the entire tone of the game. The hitters are waiting to get rid of the ball’s hardness.
It wasn’t just Mathews who saw the effect of the ball shift. Both analysts and commentators noted how the match dynamics suddenly changed following the swap. Even though the Sri Lankan duo remained resilient, the changed circumstances made it more challenging for them to sustain their early momentum, which finally resulted in England’s triumph by five wickets.
