Mitchell Starc catch controversy – Australia is in the middle of yet another catching controversy. Just three weeks after Cameron Green took a contentious catch to dismiss Shubman Gill in the WTC Final, Mitchel Starc joined the bandwagon on Saturday. The pacer took a not-so-clean catch to get Ben Duckett during the ENG vs AUS Lord’s Ashes Test, only for the umpires to rule in favour of the hosts.
In the fourth innings, England’s score was 4-113. Ben Duckett, who had just reached his seventh Test fifty, tried to play a shot over the slips but ended up directing the ball towards Mitchell Starc at deep fine leg.
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After Duckett’s shot, the 33-year-old Starc made a remarkable catch near the boundary rope. He celebrated with his teammates while Duckett reluctantly headed towards the dressing room. However, the on-field umpires, with the intervention of the third official Marais Erasmus, ruled that the catch was not clean and called Duckett back to the crease. Replays suggested that the ball was in contact with the surface with Starc’s fingers pointed towards the ground.
Starc was left dumbfounded and the decision did not go down well with several former Australian cricketers criticising the umpire’s decision. Even Australia captain Pat Cummins sought an explanation. MCC, the lawmakers of the game, later confirmed the rules and suggested why the catch was ruled not out.
“I must admit, I’m a little bit confused. Where are they judging when and how the ball is under control?” Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said on Sky Sports commentary.
His long-time teammate Glenn McGrath vented his frustration while on commentary duty for BBC.
“That is the biggest load of rubbish I’ve ever seen. He has got that ball under control … if that is not out, then every other catch that’s ever been taken should not be out. That is a disgrace,” McGrath said.
Ex-Australia captain Aaron Finch was also left shocked by the decision.
“For a guy who’s six foot five to make good ground like that, get your hands around it, slide on your knees and get up in one motion., I’d say that you’re pretty well in control of your body,” Finch argued.
Duckett and Stokes will resume at 114/4 with England needing a further 267 runs to win the Lord’s Test.
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