On Day 2 of the fifth Test, England took control as Australia faced a mini-collapse, reaching 185/7 in response to the hosts’ 283-run first innings. Among the struggling batters, Steve Smith stood tall, becoming the Kangaroos’ main hope in challenging conditions. He guided the innings alongside the tail-enders, aiming to secure a first innings lead.
However, on 44, Smith nearly lost his wicket in a peculiar manner that allowed him to stay at the crease. During the 78th over against Chris Woakes, Smith attempted to take a risky second run to midwicket, with no fielders in the circle.
A substitute fielder, George Ealham, made an outstanding sprint from the boundary ropes, hurrying to the ball and executing a precise throw to wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow. Initially, it appeared Smith was short of the crease when the bails were disturbed, leading him to start walking towards the pavilion.
But a twist occurred when the third umpire, Nitin Menon, decided to take a closer look. It became evident that Bairstow had made contact with the stumps before catching the ball. Interestingly, the impact caused one bail to jump out of the groove while the other end remained settled on top of the middle stump.
Menon interpreted the situation uniquely, declaring that the bail was still stable, meaning Bairstow’s mistake didn’t result in Smith’s dismissal. The replays showed that the bail didn’t budge even when Bairstow hit the stumps with the ball before eventually coming off on both ends. However, by that time, Smith’s bat had sneaked inside the crease, leading Menon to rule him not out.
George Ealham đ¤ Gary Pratt
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 28, 2023
An incredible piece of fielding but not to be… đ #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/yWcdV6ZAdH
This incident caused a heated debate among Twitterati regarding the laws of the game and whether the right decision had been made.