The ongoing 5th and final Ashes 2023 at The Oval Test was ripped open once again as England bowlers made a comeback with three quick wickets in the second hour of play on Day 5, taking some stem out of Australia’s run-chase that had been going on smoothly until a change of ball with David Warner and Usman Khawaja steading the ship comfortably.
Chasing a target of 384 runs, Warner and Khawaja found it rather much comfortable going on Day and even in the first hour of Day 5 despite some cloud cover. The pitch had little support for the pacers and neither did the ball that seemed to have gone soft. Even the great pair of James Anderson and Stuart Broad weren’t getting any swing and neither did the home Test specialist Chris Woakes.
After a small incident at around the hour mark on Day 5, when Mark Wood’s bouncer pinged Khawaja on the helmet, the ball losing some of its shape, England managed to get a ball change.
To the surprise of everyone, the new ball that England received was in a much better condition than the one that had been withdrawn. It was much shinier, had pronounced seam. That turned things around for the hosts as their pacers got the ball swinging significantly and got three wickets in quick time. The top three of Warner, Khawaja, and Labuschagne were all dismissed in a space of 29 runs, going from 140/0 to 169/3, England having a sniff back in the match that they must win to avoid a series loss at home to Australia in 22 years.
Commentators surprised with the new ball, call it “disgraceful” for the Australians
This new ball completely looked different from the replaced older one, and former cricketers who are doing commentary for various channels made their opinion clear on this.
Callum Ferguson said on Channel 9: “I think it is actually disgraceful they have allowed a ball this new into the game at the stage they did. It made it very difficult.”
“It certainly looks a lot newer than the one they changed from,” Ricky Ponting remarked. “Look at how much writing is on the side of that ball … that is a huge contrast to the conditions of the two Dukes balls. It has got to be this change of ball. There was absolutely nothing happening. Australia dominated. Totally different this morning, that’s for sure.”
Beside Ponting, Mark Taylor said: “It really pinged off the bat. It even sounds harder.”
Even former English skipper Nasser Hussain was stumped with the proceedings, saying that it was “very odd” and declaring the ball change was “madness”.
Aussies batters playing and missing/false shot percentage in this innings:
Before the ball change: 16%
In the 10 overs after the ball change: 38%#Ashes— Louis Cameron (@LouisDBCameron) July 31, 2023
Former England batsman Mark Butcher admitted: “This ball change has made an enormous difference. The (new ball) looked brand-spanking new.”
Beware the 2nd newy #ashes
— Glenn Maxwell (@Gmaxi_32) July 31, 2023
