In a one-off Test match, England faced off against Ireland, unveiling an upgraded version of Bazball by showcasing a scoring rate of approximately 6 runs per over. The hosts’ batsmen put on an impressive display, with Ben Duckett reaching a century and Ollie Pope delivering an electrifying innings.
Meanwhile, Ireland found themselves completely outclassed, and their ill-advised choice to utilize the Decision Review System (DRS) resulted in a rather comical moment.
In the 64th over of England’s innings, Joe Root entered the crease following Duckett’s departure, falling short of his double century by 18 runs. The penultimate delivery of the over, bowled by Graham Hume, was directed outside off, prompting Root to attempt a reverse scoop. Unfortunately, he completely missed the shot, and the ball struck his pads. Ireland immediately appealed, but the umpire ruled the batter not out.
Despite the apparent impact being outside off, Ireland couldn’t resist the temptation of dismissing the prized England batsman. They decided to challenge the umpire’s decision, disregarding the clear evidence.
The wicketkeeper’s reaction to this review choice emphasized just how poor the decision was. Lorcan Tucker, not wanting to witness the inevitable outcome of the review, took an impromptu break from the field and hastily headed off to the restroom.
— Spider Rashid (@RashidSpider) June 2, 2023
— Spider Rashid (@RashidSpider) June 2, 2023
The peculiar chain of events left Twitter users in stitches, and they shared their amusement on social media.