The umpires in the Australia-Pakistan Test in Brisbane have come under scrutiny after Channel 7 reported that as many as 21 no-balls went uncalled during the first two sessions of the second day’s play on Friday, November 22.
Australia are currently 312-1, with David Warner hitting 151*, but only nine of those runs are extras, with just three no-balls called over the course of the innings. Australian network Channel 7 have claimed that Pakistan’s bowlers overstepped the crease on 21 occasions without being flagged up prior to tea on day two, thus denying Australia 21 runs.
This is astonishing.
Huge talking point & something the ICC HAS to look at.
21 no balls not called in two sessions…? #AUSvPAK @7Cricket @7Sport pic.twitter.com/SAdFIWuGw4
— Trent Copeland (@copes9) November 22, 2019
No-balls have played a prominent role in the match; on Thursday, Pat Cummins’ dismissal of Mohammad Rizwan was upheld, even though numerous replays didn’t appear to show any part of the seamer’s foot behind the line.
“I know they’ve tried that [third umpire monitoring no-balls],” Ponting added. “I’ve said that forever. The cameras are set up side-on anyway.
“You can’t tell me it’ll take any amount of time, it’ll take half a second to relay it to the on-field umpire.
“I know they’ve trialled it. It’ll be interesting to see what the umpires feedback from it was. You’d think that would make the on-field umpire’s job easier as well, if the front-foot no-ball was taken out of their hands.”
