5th Ashes Test England v Australia July 27-31 1930hrs @ The Oval

[Santana]

Investigation into the ball swap is happening. Claims the ball that was chosen was actually 5 years old so it was the style of duke that swings a lot as the newer ones don’t swing as much.

There is no way you can change a ball like that and say it’s like for like. The umpire that carried the case out was English wasn’t he? Same old England always cheating

If that ends up actually being true then it’s cheating at the highest level or incompetency at a level I would be surprised to see at a far less developed country

Also lol @ England also having to cook their balls to accommodate their batting. Because shit pitches and shit balls is the true way to save Test Cricket, morons.

 

[Nicho50]

It will be interesting to see what happens if the findings prove it was a 5 year old ball.

I doubt anything will come of it but surely if that’s proven to ) all balls are date stamped apparently) so surely umpires and even players would have picked up on that but then you have players saying the ball was harder than any all series which is generally a give away that’s it’s been sitting around for ages and it moved a shit load more than anything all series.

 

[Sphynx]

It will be interesting to see what happens if the findings prove it was a 5 year old ball.

I doubt anything will come of it but surely if that’s proven to ) all balls are date stamped apparently) so surely umpires and even players would have picked up on that but then you have players saying the ball was harder than any all series which is generally a give away that’s it’s been sitting around for ages and it moved a s**t load more than anything all series.

They said numerous times during the series that the ball was changed significantly between series and that the current model of ball was doing way less, with a less prominent seam.

Would be absolutely criminal if Surrey supplied Dukes balls from the last Ashes in the box.

 

[badgrill]

They said numerous times during the series that the ball was changed significantly between series and that the current model of ball was doing way less, with a less prominent seam.

Would be absolutely criminal if Surrey supplied Dukes balls from the last Ashes in the box.

A mix of the old and the new ones in there?

 

[peetoo]

Not called the BARMY army for nothing

 

[The Tilt]

It will be interesting to see what happens if the findings prove it was a 5 year old ball.

I doubt anything will come of it but surely if that’s proven to ) all balls are date stamped apparently) so surely umpires and even players would have picked up on that but then you have players saying the ball was harder than any all series which is generally a give away that’s it’s been sitting around for ages and it moved a s**t load more than anything all series.

I suspect what may have happened is that across the series both teams were aware that the boxes included earlier generation Duke balls (hence they were so keen on getting balls changed). You'd hope the investigation at least tells us when the Oval replacement was manufactured. That said, someone earlier posted the relevant rule and it looked like it only specified that replacements need to be of the same brand. Obviously the replacements should also be of the same generation/version, but it doesn't look like the rule itself requires this.

Obviously the selection of a ball that was visibly newer than the one it was replacing is a separation issue. My guess is this is just a product of incompetence (either the wrong box being brought out, or an appropriate ball being available and the umpire not choosing it, or an inadequate spread of balls being available). Hopefully the investigation sheds some light on this: if it turns out the replacement ball was only 10 overs old, then it would be good to know.

 

[The Tilt]

Are you running this account eddiesmith?

Imagine looking at each team's recent away records and having the gall to post something like that, while at the same time just failing to win back the Ashes at home. I guess when you've got nothing but your own hype to hold onto you have to grasp at anything

When drawing at home and getting trounced away counts as a win.

 

[frankrizzo]

It did feel like it was an older era duke ball its not just that it swing its that it swung longer than the brand new 2023 batch ones, really do feel for the openers this was their last chance to win a series in england they did all that hard work and then got punished for it by having to face a second new ball doing more than first new ball, even warner for all the shit we give him got the sort of delivery you shouldn't be getting 40+ overs into a innings.

 

[greyhound punter]

Are you running this account eddiesmith?

Imagine looking at each team's recent away records and having the gall to post something like that, while at the same time just failing to win back the Ashes at home. I guess when you've got nothing but your own hype to hold onto you have to grasp at anything

Over 4500 days since England last won a test match in Australia.

 

[greyhound punter]

I suspect what may have happened is that across the series both teams were aware that the boxes included earlier generation Duke balls (hence they were so keen on getting balls changed). You'd hope the investigation at least tells us when the Oval replacement was manufactured. That said, someone earlier posted the relevant rule and it looked like it only specified that replacements need to be of the same brand. Obviously the replacements should also be of the same generation/version, but it doesn't look like the rule itself requires this.

Obviously the selection of a ball that was visibly newer than the one it was replacing is a separation issue. My guess is this is just a product of incompetence (either the wrong box being brought out, or an appropriate ball being available and the umpire not choosing it, or an inadequate spread of balls being available). Hopefully the investigation sheds some light on this: if it turns out the replacement ball was only 10 overs old, then it would be good to know.

The ball shouldn't be changed unless it is physically lost (ie, smashed out of the ground), or the seam/stiching is splitting.

It has now become a tactical game of cut and mouse between the umpires and each fielding team to try and get the ball changed if it isn't doing much.

Eventually, the umpires relent because, whether we care to admit it or not, there is a power difference between the umpires and the players. There are 11 players v 2 umpires on the field.

Having a much higher threshold to get the ball changed would also save time because you wouldn't have as much time wasted by players complaining to umpires about the ball.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Jim Anderson was horrible this Ashes, why wouldn't he retire?

India in India next, can't see him going well there.

Must be eyeing Windies and Sri Lanka to go out with a boat load of wickets but thats not until this time next year!

 

[Nicho50]

Jim Anderson was horrible this Ashes, why wouldn't he retire?

India in India next, can't see him going well there.

Must be eyeing Windies and Sri Lanka to go out with a boat load of wickets but thats not until this time next year!

He still won’t get a bag load against them either.

 

[Around the Wicket]

He still won’t get a bag load against them either.

Hmm 6 Tests all in England.. I think he would against those sides lol

 

[Nicho50]

Hmm 6 Tests all in England.. I think he would against those sides lol

Nope selfishness of him and England playing him in the Ashes cost them a series , if Wood Woakes and Tongue play more matches England win.

 

[grumbleguts]

So the owner of the Dukes ball company is launching his own investigation. He reckons his name is on the line.

Mate your name is mud already, the fact that the English asked for a ball change on average twice a delivery, means your balls are garbage. Or maybe it's just the English are cheats. I'd be calling on them to fix your name.

 

[swingdog]

The ball shouldn't be changed unless it is physically lost (ie, smashed out of the ground), or the seam/stiching is splitting.

It has now become a tactical game of cut and mouse between the umpires and each fielding team to try and get the ball changed if it isn't doing much.

Eventually, the umpires relent because, whether we care to admit it or not, there is a power difference between the umpires and the players. There are 11 players v 2 umpires on the field.

Having a much higher threshold to get the ball changed would also save time because you wouldn't have as much time wasted by players complaining to umpires about the ball.

Not just the numbers. Modern umpires are less strong willed and respected by the players.

Someone like Dickie Bird would have told them to just get on with it.

 

[western royboy]

His last 7-8 years would contend with almost anyone. It's actually a bit of a shame how poor he was this series.

Pitches and balls not to his liking - 5 wkts @ 85…

 

[western royboy]

If it was found to be a ball from the previous years batches then surely they have no alternative but to declare the match as void as it really does change the match completely?

Good Luck with that

 

[tandino]

So the owner of the Dukes ball company is launching his own investigation. He reckons his name is on the line.

Mate your name is mud already, the fact that the English asked for a ball change on average twice a delivery, means your balls are garbage. Or maybe it's just the English are cheats. I'd be calling on them to fix your name.

Old mate hand selects the Test balls himself.



So much care taken with the new ones, while the replacements have been bouncing around in a case, in a dark cupboard for 5 years.

This is another interesting one, from 11 months ago, talking about post-Covid issues with the leather. 12 minutes in.



For all the drama, just watching the ball being made is pretty cool.

 

[grumbleguts]

Old mate hand selects the Test balls himself.



So much care taken with the new ones, while the replacements have been bouncing around in a case, in a dark cupboard for 5 years.

This is another interesting one, from 11 months ago, talking about post-Covid issues with the leather. 12 minutes in.



For all the drama, just watching the ball being made is pretty cool.

Maybe old mate should just make better cricket balls. Come over to Australia and learn how it's done.

 

[grumbleguts]

Not just the numbers. Modern umpires are less strong willed and respected by the players.

Someone like Dickie Bird would have told them to just get on with it.

Some umpires from the 70s Dickie included would have said keep bowling the way you have been and maybe they'll bang it back into shape.

 

[brutus76]

2024/25 TV ad campaign

"Masterfoods chicken salt is great on anything. Pasta, potato wedges, french fries, even English cricket bats!"

Sells itself. Winner!

 

[PhatBoy]

Maybe old mate should just make better cricket balls. Come over to Australia and learn how it's done.

The kookaburra ball that has received criticism for how quickly it goes soft, you mean?

 

[Aussie in exile]

Time to move on from this.
We have retained the ashes and that's all that counts

 

[eddiesmith]

I read somewhere the emergency umpire who brought the balls out to the middle is an Englishman.

Yes he was from the home country, as is the 4th umpire at every single test match…