Ashes 2021-22: James Neesham takes a sly dig at TV Umpire for missing 14 No-Balls in Gabba
Jimmy Neesham (Image Credit: Twitter)
The Ashes is underway at Gabba in Brisbane. Australia managed to make the right noises on the first two days. The hosts’ bowlers shot England for just 147. On Day 2, opening batter David Warner was looking in ominous touch. However, the southpaw was dismissed by Ben Stokes for 17 runs. But the batter was given a reprieve after replays showed that the delivery was a no-ball. Replays also showed that the previous three balls were also no balls. In fact, Channel 7 highlighted that the England all-rounder had bowled a whopping 14 no-balls in the first session, of which only two were called.
The no-ball call of Warner proved costly for the visitors as the southpaw made them pay. He scored 94 runs and laid a perfect platform for the batters to follow. The poor officiating by the umpires in a crunch Ashes series was not liked by the cricket onlookers. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting described it as ‘pathetic officiating.’
New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham, who is known to not hold back, also took a dig at the umpires. “When the only explanation is “uhhhh I forgot that was my job lol”,” Neesham tweeted, quoting a compilation video of Stokes’ no-balls.
When the only explanation is “uhhhh I forgot that was my job lol” https://t.co/LquKC1uJyz
— Jimmy Neesham (@JimmyNeesh) December 9, 2021
Cricket Australia (CA) later revealed that third umpire Paul Wilson could not check the no-balls due to a technical glitch and the decision was left to the on field umpires.
Australia posted 425 in their first innings on account of Travis Head’s scintillating century. The hosts got a huge lead of 278 runs. However, Joe Root and Dawid Malan have helped England crawl back into the game. The players are batting on 86 and 80 respectively, with England 220-2, trailing by 58 runs at the end of Day 3.
