High cricket drama at Lord's after no ball

Australian umpire Rod Tucker found himself at the centre of controversy on day four of the final Test at Lord’s after a decision that prompted a protest from Sri Lanka and allowed England to move into a match-winning position.

Match report: Sri Lanka chase history

The flashpoint came in the 46^th over of England’s second innings when Tucker wrongly called a wicket-taking delivery from Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Pradeep a no-ball and gave Alex Hales a life he didn’t deserve on 58.

Hales would go on to make 94 – narrowly missing out on his maiden Test century – but the Sri Lankans were left seething at the call which has probably cost them the chance of victory in this Test match.

Pradeep’s delivery kept low and bowled Hales. Tucker, though, had already signalled the no-ball meaning he was helpless to correct the decision when replays showed the bowler’s front foot was marginally behind the line.

While officials can call on the TV umpire to check if fair deliveries are legal after the event, there is no recourse if the no-ball has been decreed under the logic batsmen can change their shot once they’ve heard the call.

Sri Lanka were livid with the decision given England would have been 6-132 in their second innings and leading by just 260. They would go on to add 101 more runs to tilt the contest firmly in their favour.

Tucker received support from Hales, who said: “I have sympathy with Rod Tucker, when you think how fast the game moves and how close it was. He told the bowler he was getting close. It’s a split-second decision.”

However, Sri Lanka unfurled their national flag on the visiting balcony in protest, which Lord’s officials asked them to take it down as it breached ground regulations.

Thilanga Sumathipala, the Sri Lanka cricket board president, called the decision “unacceptable” and confirmed he will complain to the International Cricket Council.

“The management on tour is very sad about that decision and it will be reported to the ICC,” he said. “The flag is a symbol. It is a mark to say we are not happy with the decision. To show solidarity and fight back.”

The controversy at Lord’s had echoes of the Adam Voges let-off earlier this year when the Australian was bowled by New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell during the first Test at Wellington by a delivery that was called as a no-ball by English umpire Richard Illingworth. Replays again showed the bowler had not overstepped and Voges, on seven at the time, went on to score 239 and set up an innings victory for Australia.

Sri Lanka’s South African coach Graham Ford, who visited match referee Andy Pycroft for an official explanation, said: “It’s something the ICC will have to look at – that with the technology available nowadays, you can still get a line call wrong.

“Surely we can get to a point where that problem can be taken out of cricket.

“The flag was to show our support from the dressing room and boost the morale, only to find it’s not the done thing and we had to take it down. Apparently Rod Tucker apologised to our captain, Angelo Mathews, quite a few times.”

Tucker, who like Illingworth got an honest call wrong, was a victim of regulations more than anything. Now, though, the ICC are expected to act and get rid of the rule that means fair deliveries called no-balls cannot be corrected.

The issue is set to be discussed at the ICC’s annual conference at Edinburgh later this month and it is hoped action is taken so this situation doesn’t occur again.

In the meantime, Sri Lanka will use their frustration as motivation to chase down their target of 362 – a Lord’s record – on the final day. After reaching stumps on 0-32 they do have a chance. Maybe even a marginal call might go in their favour. In truth, they’ll probably need all the help they can get.