Stokes bowls Warner on 17 but wicket chalked off due to no-ball; front-foot technology not working at The Gabba with no-balls only being checked on wicket-taking deliveries; Stokes overstepped 14 times during his first five overs
Last Updated: 09/12/21 6:19am
The no-ball call that denied England’s Ben Stokes a wicket in his first over of the opening Ashes Test led to the revelation that the third umpire was unable to check the front foot on every delivery.
Stokes bowled David Warner with the fourth delivery of his first Test over in more than nine months but the Australia opener was reprieved when TV replays showed the England all-rounder had overstepped.
TV pictures showed Stokes’ previous three deliveries in Brisbane would also have been no-balls but he was unable to correct his run-up as, due to a technological malfunction, they had not been called.
The third umpire in World Test Championship matches is supposed to check every delivery for a no-ball but with the system not working, only wicket-taking deliveries are being checked.
Stokes bowls Warner with his fourth delivery in Test cricket since March. Needless to say, it’s a no-ball.
Host broadcaster Channel Seven later showed that in Stokes’ first five overs there had been 14 no-balls with just one called.
Warner was on 17 when he was ‘dismissed by Stokes’ but went on to make 94 on day two at The Gabba before he was bowled by Ollie Robinson after tea.
Stokes, who was late to join the England squad in Australia after taking a break to focus on his mental health and rehab a finger injury, was also denied his first Ashes wicket when he over-stepped the mark in the Adelaide Test in 2013.
Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was caught behind for 51 but went on to make 118 after his reprieve on that occasion.