Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was not impressed by Ben Stokes’ comments on Jonny Bairstow’s run out on the fifth day of the second Test of the 2023 Ashes series. Opinion was divided on social media after the dismissal and Stokes even went after the umpires in the post-match presentation.
What happened on the fifth day of the second test?
On the fifth day of the Second Ashes Test at Lord’s, a highly controversial run-out incident involving England wicketkeeper-batsman, Jonny Bairstow occurred. The match was in an exciting state as England were chasing a target of 317 runs. Bairstow, playing for 10 runs in the 52nd over, faced a bouncer from Cameron Green. In an attempt to avoid the ball, he inadvertently stepped out of his crease. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Australia’s wicketkeeper Alex Carey quickly collected the ball and made an accurate underarm throw towards the stumps. The entire sequence of events unfolded rapidly, causing chaos on the ground. (Watch video of Bairstow’s run out)
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While many fans considered Bairstow’s dismissal controversial, Stokes also questioned the decision and suggested in a post-match presentation that the dismissal occurred on the last ball of Green’s over and that Bairstow was allowed to leave his crease and speak. Should have given Immediately Captain. But Ponting clarified his stand saying that the only relevant aspect regarding a complete dismissal was whether the onfield umpire had declared the over complete or not.
In the latest episode of the ICC review, Ponting said, “There is no (difference). There is none because the ball is still alive unless the umpire makes the call and the ball is alive and it doesn’t matter if it is fourth.” , first, second, or third ball, you still have to ask permission to leave your crease and if you do, and the fielding captain says, yes, you can leave your crease, the ball is considered dead.”
Ponting believes that it was easy for Stokes to make the bold claim about the entire incident as he had plenty of time to think and prepare his reply after the match was over.
“(At the end of the match) it’s very easy for Ben to sit down and state that approach. But he was really there as the batting captain of his team. He could, there and then, ask. In the heat of battle, If he was thinking as clearly as he said it was three hours later after the game,” Ponting said.
“If he had been thinking enough, he would have said to the umpires: ‘You know, was it over? Did you start moving? Is the ball dead?’ These were questions to be answered then, not at the end of the game when he said so,” Ponting said.
Ponting further suggested that times have changed since his captaincy days and now modern players take more liberties during their time at the crease.
“I think the modern game is a little different than it was in the past in terms of respecting the captain of the fielding team. I know when I was playing, and the ball went to the keeper, by the time you left your crease Couldn’t dare you actually asked the opposition captain if it was okay and whether the ball was dead and Johnny didn’t,” Ponting signed off.
England will now face Australia in the third test match Ashes 2023 series on 6 July at the Yorkshire Cricket Ground.