A controversial ball-change decision in the first Test between England and Sri Lanka in Manchester has sparked outrage, with Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews labeling it “unfair.”
During Sri Lanka’s second innings, England took a new ball at 4-146, a move that Mathews believes shifted the momentum in England’s favor. With a slender 24-run lead, Sri Lanka had been in a strong position, but the new ball allowed England’s pacers to exploit the firmer cherry.
Mathews, who was batting on 59 at the time of the ball change, was dismissed in the 10th over after the new ball was taken. “It was unfortunate, to be honest,” Mathews said. “Yesterday we were sitting pretty until the ball was changed.”
Mathews argued that the ball change disadvantaged batters on both teams, as they had worked hard to take the shine off the old ball. “The batters are waiting to get rid of the hardness of the ball, and it’s unfortunate that the ball was changed and it started swinging and it changed the whole complexion of the game,” he said.
This is not the first time England has been criticized for a ball-change decision. In last year’s Ashes Test at the Oval, Australia great Ricky Ponting expressed frustration at a similar incident.
England eventually won the opening Test by 5 wickets, but the ball-change controversy has left a sour taste in the mouths of Sri Lankan players and fans.
