Usman Khawaja reveals the bizarre response he got from referees when he questioned them about the controversial Ashes substitution that led Ricky Ponting to demand an investigation
- Usman Khawaja left stunned by the reaction of two umpires
- Aussie star questioned England’s use of ‘new’ ball on day four
- Proving crucial, hosts won the fifth Test by 49 runs in London
Australian opener Usman Khawaja has revealed he twice questioned umpires at The Oval about the ball change that decided the fifth Test – and was told there was ‘nothing else’ in the box of replacement balls for them to choose.
Referees Kumar Dharmasena and Joel Wilson have come under fire for their action on day four to substitute the ball that was out of shape after it clattered against Khawaja’s helmet.
Australia were on track to chase down a mammoth target of 384 before the change, with only nine balls left on day four, turned the game upside down.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was furious all day as the home side snagged three early wickets with a ball that looked like a new one before dismissing the Australians for 334 to win by 49 runs.
Khawaja said he spoke to the umpires on both day four and day five about the condition of the ball they took out of the box, bringing up the subject as soon as the new ball was bowled by paceman Mark Wood.
When Australian batsman Usman Khawaja was hit on the helmet by Mark Wood late on day four, the umpires switched the ball – it proved to be a pivotal moment in the Fifth Test
Khawaja has revealed that the ball the umpires chose was ‘harder than any ball I’ve come across in this Ashes series’ – giving the England bowlers a huge advantage
The umpires later admitted picking from a box of ‘at least a dozen’ used cricket balls
“I walked right up to Kumar and immediately said, ‘That ball is nothing like the one we were playing with. I see it written on it,” Khawaja said cricket.com.au after the match is over.
“It felt harder than any ball I’ve encountered in this Ashes series – and I’ve opened the batting against the new ball every time.
“I said, ‘I don’t know what’s going on – you’ve gone from an old, inverted (swinging) ball to a brand new one.’
Khawaja questioned Dharmasena’s counterpart Joel Wilson on day five before being dismissed, as the ball seamed and swung and made life difficult for the Australians – and was surprised by his response.
“I asked Joel again, ‘How do we use this ball now? It’s so new’. And he said, ‘There was nothing else in the box,'” Khawaja explained.
The umpires chose from a box of at least a dozen balls.
Even England sailor Chris Woakes, who sacked Khawaja, said the Aussies ‘wouldn’t have been happy’ with the substitution.
Former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting boiled and called for umpire inquiry after fifth Ashes Test
England pacer Chris Woakes said the tourists ‘would not have been happy’ with the ball change
Khawaja said the referees made a game-defining error and that it should be looked into further.
“Personally, I think if there’s nothing else in the box that matches the ball you’ve got, you can’t really change it,” said Khawaja.
“It’s a bit frustrating as a batting unit because we worked really hard for 36 overs and then they switched the ball.
‘As an opener you work so hard to get through there and then you’re faced with another ball.
‘That ball was 95 overs in and still bouncing and bouncing.
‘Unfortunately, that’s the hand you sometimes get in cricket. It may not feel fair, but… hopefully the ICC can learn from it and try to look at that ball to change the process.”