In a shocking turn of events during the day 2 of the first Ashes Test between Australia and England at Gabba, Ben Stokes was spotted… or not… bowling 14 no-balls in the morning session, but was called out for over-stepping only twice.
The incident came to notice when Stokes bowled Warner off a no-ball in the 13th over of the innings.
The ball deflected off Warner’s pads and went onto the stumps, but even as that happened, Stokes did not show much enthusiasm, probably aware of the fact that he had overstepped. Warner, on 17, was asked to wait and the reply showed that Stokes had indeed gone over the popping crease.
However, what transpired then promises go down as one of the biggest umpiring/technical errors of all time as Channel 7 showed that Stokes had overstepped in each of his three previous deliveries making it 4 no-balls in a row, of which only one was called.
Things turned bonkers when the media outlet further highlighted that Stokes had in fact bowled a total of 14 no-balls, out of which only two were called, leaving everyone shocked.
It was back in August earlier this year that the ICC decided to hand over the no-ball calling duties to the third umpire, but as reported, the technology used to detect the bowlers’ front-foot no-ball is not available for this series.
“The third umpire shall review television replays of the bowler’s front foot landing and, if he/she is satisfied that any of these three conditions have not been met, he/she shall immediately advise the bowler’s end umpire who shall in turn immediately call and signal No-ball,” the ICC had said while revising the conditions for the World Test Championship.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was pretty miffed, blaming the third umpire of ‘pathetic’ officiating. “If it’s someone upstairs who is supposed to checking these, and they haven’t decided that any of those are a no-ball, it’s pathetic officiating as far as I’m concerned. If (Stokes) had been called for a no-ball the first one he bowled, then of course he is going to drag his foot back,” Ponting was quoted as saying by Channel 7.