Australia were left fuming after a controversial ball change swung the momentum of day five at the Oval – and ultimately led to them conceding the fifth Test in devastating circumstances.
Cricket: Usman Khawaja has revealed the drastic difference in the behaviour of the ball after it was changed late on Day 4, following Australia’s loss in the Fifth Ashes Test.
In a series full of Sliding Doors moments, the bouncer from England’s genial and batty enforcer which struck the stolid Australian opener didn’t immediately seem significant, especially given Khawaja did not appear particularly rattled and batted on for the few minutes after the blow before weather halted and eventually ended the day’s play.
Yet it is what happened in the fine print that made all the difference. England, having sought to scuff the ball in a bid to get it reverse swinging, had been unable to do so….