A weird incident involving the 35-year-old England Nationwide Cricket Group all-rounder Chris Woakes befell on Day 2 of the third Check between England and Sri Lanka on the Kennington Oval in London on Saturday, September 7.
Chris Woakes was handed the ball to bowl the seventh over of the innings, and with 4 slips and a gully in place, he bowled a full-length supply to Pathum Nissanka, who defended the primary supply for no run.
On the following ball, Chris Woakes bowled a size supply on off-stump and Pathum Nissanka pushed it into the off-side and ran for a single. The ball went straight to Olly Stone on the cowl, and Karunaratne, who was working in direction of the keeper’s finish, was caught in need of the crease as a direct hit from Stone despatched him again to the pavilion.
Then, the umpires introduced out the sunshine meter to verify the sunshine and discovered that it was too darkish for the pacer to function.
In accordance with Legislation 2.7.1, which pertains to unhealthy gentle and different weather-related points, “it’s solely for the umpires collectively to resolve whether or not both circumstances of floor, climate or gentle or distinctive circumstances imply that it will be harmful or unreasonable for play to happen”. In the meantime, the legislation subsequently provides: “Circumstances shall not be thought to be both harmful or unreasonable merely as a result of they don’t seem to be excellent.”
In accordance with guidelines, “a bowler shall end an over in progress until incapacitated or suspended”, which means that Chris Woakes had two choices – first, go away the sphere, and second, flip right into a spinner quickly. The veteran all-rounder selected the latter choice as he was in no temper to step outdoors.
He agreed to bowl off-spin and began working with two slips, a leg slip, and a brief leg in place. Woakes bowled the following 4 balls as an off-spinner and conceded 6 runs, together with a 4. Simply after Chris Woakes’ over, issues obtained regular and pacers have been allowed to function once more
all these items occurring within the center England red-ball captain Ben Stokes was completely shocked as he gave a shocked response from the dressing room whereas spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel watched the happenings nervously. Additionally, Joe Root was left in splits seeing Chris Woakes bowl spin.
Watch: Chris Woakes Bowls Off-Spin vs Sri Lanka
STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING! ⚠️
Dangerous gentle means Chris Woakes is bowling spin 😆 pic.twitter.com/TPYSnwXiEN
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 7, 2024
Ben Stokes’ response is EVERYTHING 🤣 https://t.co/7aitluKT5O pic.twitter.com/OgMyMuJKyQ
— England’s Barmy Military 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) September 7, 2024
In the meantime, talking on BBC Check Match Particular, former England spinner Phil Tufnell labeled the choice of umpires to power Woakes into bowling off-spin as “mind-blowingly poor”.
“This can be a unhealthy search for Check cricket,” he mentioned. “It is ridiculous. I’ve truly obtained to squint to see, that is how vibrant it’s. I am fully bewildered by this.”
Notably, unhealthy gentle has been a significant situation within the ongoing Check collection between England and Sri Lanka and the likes of Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain have been very vital of it.
“It’s concerning the public who pay to observe. Check cricket is below risk greater than any format. If this was a T20 they’d be enjoying. I’d attempt something to discover a method for the paying public to get higher worth,” Michael Vaughan had mentioned on Day 1.
“What supply have we seen within the final quarter-hour that has been a bodily risk? You go to a pink ball and stick with it. Groups should settle for they get unfortunate. All these concepts, you’re not going to appease everybody. I simply need to see them stick with it,” Vaughan added.