Tim Paine, the Australia captain, admitted on Sunday, August 25, that his decision to use the review at the wrong time cost Australia the third Ashes Test at Headingley.
Jack Leach, England’s No.11, was on nought, with England requiring eight runs to win, when he missed a pitched up delivery from Pat Cummins, and it skidded onto his pads. The Australians appealed, half-heartedly, and when the umpire turned it down, Paine decided to use up their only review, more in desperation than anything.
However, the ball-tracking system showed the delivery had pitched outside leg, and Leach survived.
Jack Leach……..@Specsavers do your self a favour and give him free glasses for life @jackleach1991
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) August 25, 2019
Then, just five balls later, Lyon had Ben Stokes trapped plumb in front after the England all-rounder missed a slog-sweep. The umpire was unmoved, though, and with Australia having used up their only review, Stokes survived and hit the winning runs.
Paine also lauded Stokes, whose match-winning 135* has kept England’s Ashes hopes alive. “I thought it was an amazing game of cricket,” said Paine. “Ben Stokes was unbelievably good and it was one of the great Test innings.
“We finished up on the wrong side of it but in terms of an advertisement for Test cricket, I think that was bloody exciting. It was great to be involved in so I can only imagine what it was like to watch.”
