Ponting slams 'huge Ashes blunder' and calls for umpires to be investigated

31 July 2023 , 15:05

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Australia legend Ricky Ponting was furious with the umpires (Image: Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has slammed the umpires in the final Ashes Test, claiming they made a "huge blunder" that "needs to be investigated" when changing the ball.

On day four of the last Test at the Oval, Australia made an excellent start with the bat as they attempted to chase down 384 and secure a first series win in England since 2001. England failed to make a breakthrough in the 38 overs they bowled, with Australia reaching 135-0 at the close of play as both David Warner and Usman Khawaja made unbeaten half-centuries.

In the 37th over, Khawaja was struck on the helmet by a bouncer from Mark Wood and umpires Joel Wilson and Kumar Dharmasena decided to change the ball as it had gone out of shape. Only 11 deliveries were bowled with the new ball on day four, but things dramatically changed in the morning session on day five as England quickly dismissed Warner, Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne.

Australia slipped from 135-0 to 169-3 as England pushed to level the series and Ponting hit out at the ball change, claiming there was a "big discrepancy" in the condition of the original ball and the replacement which appeared to be harder and shinier. "The biggest concern I have is the big discrepancy in the condition of the ball that was chosen to replace the one [that had gone out of shape]," Ponting fumed on Sky Sports.

"There's no way in the world you can even look at those two balls there and say in any way are they comparable. At the end of the day, if you are going to change the ball, you want to make sure that you get it right, so [you make it] as close as you possibly can to the one that you're changing it from.

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"Now if you have a look in that box, there weren't too many older-condition balls in there. There were some older ones that were picked up, the umpires looked at that and threw them back. I just cannot fathom how two international umpires that have done that a lot of times before can get that so wrong.

"That is a huge moment in this game, potentially a huge moment in the Test match, and something I think actually has to be investigated: whether there was the right condition of balls in the box, or the umpires have just, blasé, picked one out of there that they think will be okay to use."

Ponting felt the umpires made a "huge blunder" when they changed the ball on day four (Sky Sports)

While Ponting admitted the day five conditions were much better for bowling, he branded the ball change a "huge blunder that needs to be investigated." He continued: "The conditions were perfect for bowling this morning, let's say that. The conditions were better for bowling this morning.

"But what I saw last night, that ball there, I'll put my hand up and say I've got absolutely no doubt at all that that ball would not have done anywhere near as much as what that one did this morning. Double the amount of movement this morning from yesterday afternoon, seam movement and swing. I think it's a huge blunder that needs to be investigated."

England's assistant coach Marcus Trescothick said ahead of day five that they felt the new ball had "a bit more life in it", stating: "The boys could sense the ball was making a different sound off the bat. Immediately, there's a bit more life in it. Balls seem to have gone very soft, very fast in this game - and this series. Both captains have tried to change them on numerous occasions."

Matthew Cooper