Watch: Ben Stokes posted on social media to criticise a lbw decision given by umpire Mark Newell during the Division Two clash between Gloucestershire and Sussex today (April 22).
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Chasing 144 for victory in the fourth innings, Sussex didn’t have the best of starts. They lost Tom Clark in the fourth over off the bowling of left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar, before Tom Alsop fell victim to Gohar in his next over to leave Sussex at 25-2.
Alsop was given out lbw to a ball that turned back in sharply from well outside off stump and hit the left-hander on the back foot. Gohar and all the close-in fielders were loud in their appeals and the umpire didn’t take much time in raising his finger.
However, the decision drew the ire of England Test captain Stokes, who commented on a video of Alsop’s wicket on X (formerly Twitter). Stokes wrote, “Closer to hitting leg slip on the foot than the stumps 
,” implying that the massive turn on the ball would have taken it way down the leg side.
There were several other comments on the video, agreeing with Stokes’ assessment of the decision.
Closer to hitting leg slip on the foot than the stumps 🤦♂️ https://t.co/o9CxbgS89d
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) April 22, 2024
Gohar ended up bowling unchanged from one end and picked up five wickets for 59 runs, but Sussex were able to knock off the runs thanks largely to Cheteshwar Pujara’s unbeaten 44 from No.4. They won the game by four wickets.
