By India Today Sports Desk: Australia batter Steve Smith was given not out in a contentious decision by the on-field umpires in the final day of the Oval Test on Monday, 31 July. The incident occurred in the 66th over of the match where Moeen Ali was able to graze Smith’s glove and send the ball flying towards the leg slip. Ben Stokes took the catch and appealed for Smith’s dismissal, but the umpires – first on field and then on TV deemed the decision not out.
As Stokes argued, TV replays showed that while completing the catch in air, Stokes hit the ball on his right knee and ended up spilling it out of his hands. Hence the catch was deemed not out.
Former England cricketer Nasser Hussain explained the decision and said that one could tell immediately from Stokes’s reaction that he knew he had committed a mistake.
“He’s got to be in complete control. And you can’t say that, with his right leg up in the air. You could tell immediately from his reaction that he knew he’d made an error,” Hussain said on Sky Sports.
“It very much reminded me of that Herschelle Gibbs moment in the 1999 World Cup, where he threw it away too early when claiming a catch,” the former England captain further added.
Ricky Ponting while commentating during the incident said that it was a moment of incredible drama considering that Smith’s wicket could have sealed the game for England.
“Talk about drama. Steve Smith survives. Incredible stuff. Everyone turning up here today expected there to be more drama somewhere and it started with the early loss of wickets for Australia,” Ponting said.
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“Then, on the stroke of lunch, this happens where Stokes takes a catch straight into the middle of his hand and then on the way down in his celebration, he slaps his right thigh and the ball drops out,” Ponting explained on commentary.
Australia were 238/3 when rain interrupted play at The Oval. They needed 146 more runs to win the Test match.
