England denied Pratt repeat after line-ball run-out call

Umpire Kumar Dharmasena told Stuart Broad that Steve Smith's contentious run-out would have been given out if Zing bails were being used, according to the England quick, after Australia’s best batter was at the centre of a possible series turning point.

George Ealham, son of former England allrounder Mark, was denied the biggest Ashes wicket effected by a substitute fielder since Gary Pratt ran a furious Ricky Ponting out in 2005 after television umpire Nitin Menon ruled in Australia's favour.

Following a lengthy deliberation, Menon deemed wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow to have knock off a bail with his arm before Ealham's pinpoint throw reached his gloves and that Smith had subsequently made his ground when Bairstow dislodged the other bail.

The MCC's Laws of Cricket make clear that, even if one bail is dislodged, a stumping or a run-out can still be effected if the other bail remains in place.

But extensive analysis from the host broadcaster Sky Cricket suggested Smith, on 43 at the time, should have been given out.

In a tight Test with Australia gunning for an outright Ashes series victory, the 28 runs subsequently scored by the 33-year-old after his reprieve could prove important after Australia eked out a slender 12-run first-innings lead.

England did not appear disgruntled by the decision at the time. Broad however later revealed on-field official Dharmasena had suggested Zing bails, which light up when they have been dislodged, could have made a difference.

"I think there was enough grey area to give it not out. It looked like benefit of the doubt stuff," Broad said of Smith’s run-out call.

"The first angle I saw looked out and then with the side angle, it looked like the bail was dislodged (by Bairstow).

"Kumar said to me that if it was the Zing bail, it would have been given out. I don't really understand the reasoning why."

On the angles of the replays given to Menon during his roughly three-minute deliberation, his decision initially appeared sound.

It appeared as though Bairstow's arm had knocked one bail off its perch before the ball was in his gloves.

The few milliseconds before the other bail was then dislodged was enough time for the diving Smith to make his ground.

However alternate angles shown by Sky, not seen by Menon at the time, appeared to show that the bail Menon had deemed to be dislodged by Bairstow's arm in fact had one of its ends still in the groove of the off-stump.

The Marylebone Cricket Club, the custodians of the Laws of Cricket, issued a statement pointing out that: "For the purposes of dismissal – a bail has been removed at the moment that both ends of it leave their grooves."

In other words, the bail's spigots (the bits that fit into the grooves of the stumps) must be completely separated from the stumps before the wicket is considered 'put down'.

With that in mind, Sky's analysis (which the broadcaster pointed out took the best part of an hour – far longer than Menon had to make his decision) suggested Bairstow had not 'put down' the stumps with his arm.

Zing bails have come under fire in the past for being heavier than wooden ones, but have the benefit of lighting up at the exact moment they have been dislodged, assisting officials adjudicating on close run-outs or stumpings.

They are popular in limited-overs cricket, or in pink-ball Test cricket played under lights, but are not used for day Tests in either England or Australia.

At the time of the run-out, Smith was initially convinced he was out. He made his way most of the way off the ground before seeing the close-ups of Bairstow's arm touching the stumps on the ground's big screen, prompting him to walk back to the wicket.

"I saw the initial replay and I saw the bail come up and then when I looked at it the second time it looked like Jonny might have knocked the bail off before the ball had come (into his gloves)," Smith told reporters.

"Then the ball came and he took the stumps. It looked pretty close at that stage.

"If the ball had hit (the stumps) at the initial stage where the bail came up, I think I was well out of my ground. On the next angle it looked pretty close."

2023 Qantas Ashes Tour of the UK

First Test: Australia won by two wickets

Second Test: Australia won by 43 runs

Third Test: England won by three wickets

Fourth Test: Match drawn

Fifth Test: Thursday July 27-Monday 31, The Oval

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood