Former England Test captain and star batsman Joe Root has been getting trolled left, right, and center, all over social media for his recent comments about modifying the timing rules of Test cricket to adjust for the overs lost due to rain.
Australia retained the Ashes Urn on Sunday in the ongoing Ashes 2023 series as the 4th Test, in Manchester, ended in a draw. The series now stands 2-1 after 4 Tests with Australia now having the chance to win the Ashes series in England for the first time since 2001 when they play in the 5th and last Test at The Oval later this week.
England had dominated the Manchester Test but rain played spoilsport and denied them the chance at a victory. Only 30 overs of play was possible on Day 4 on Saturday and not a single ball was bowled on Day 5 on Sunday. Heading into Day 5, Australia were trailing by 61 runs in their second innings and had 5 wickets in hand. Without rain on the last two days, England would have had a good shot at victory, but the rain gods didn’t relent, especially on Day 5 at all.
Ahead of play on Day 5, Joe Root spoke with BBC’s Test Match Special program where he suggested that play should be allowed to go until there is light, even it means extending it to 10 PM. Joe Root asked why there isn’t more flexibility in the playing schedule to ensure that overs aren’t lost due to rain and slow over rates.
“It doesn’t get dark here in England until 10pm in the summer, why can’t we just play until we bowl the overs?” asked Root.
“There’s been a lot of chat about not bowling the overs. There are so many different ways of trying to find opportunities to get as much play in as possible. At every opportunity at every stage you should be looking to find ways to get the Test on. We batted in worse conditions at Edgbaston, but that is cricket. You just want consistency in those conditions.”
For the unversed, in a day of 90 overs of cricket in England, the scheduled finish is for 6 PM. An extra half an hour is allotted for covering up for rain and slow over rates delay.
Damien Martyn hilariously trolled Joe Root for his suggestion to play till 10 PM
Former Australia batsman Damien Martyn saw these comment from Joe Root about extending play till 10 PM and was unimpressed with Root’s suggestion. He even trolled Root and the English for such a suggestion saying that it is the English who made the rules of cricket.
Here, check out how Damien Martyn trolled Joe Root:
You made the rules…. https://t.co/tgpeFSDmW5
— Damien Martyn🏏 (@damienmartyn) July 23, 2023
