England batter Ben Stokes had the luckiest of escapes in recent times when a Cameroon Green ball hit his stumps but he survived as the bails did not come off, prompting legends Shane Warner and Sachin Tendulkar to discuss the introduction of possible new law.
The incident happened on the third day of the fourth Ashes Test on Friday when Australian all-rounder Green bowled one that was angled in and left-handed Stokes had shouldered arms, anticipating that the ball would pass by the stumps. But it came back enough to kiss the off-stump. The bail started getting out of the groove but eventually settled down.
The on-field umpires asked for a referral but since the bails didn't completely get out of the groove, Stokes was adjudged not out. He went on to make a crucial 66.
"Should a law be introduced called ‘hitting the stumps' after the ball has hit them but not dislodged the bails? What do you think guys? Let's be fair to bowlers," tweeted Tendulkar tagging Warne.
The iconic leg-spinner Warner said in jest that the point needs to be debated.
"Interesting point & one to debate my friend. I will take this to the world cricket committee for discussion & come back to you. Never seen anything like that today - Greene’s delivery was 142kph and hit the stump hard," Warne replied. However, another stylish Aussie batter of yesteryears Damien Martyn had a straight "No" to Tendulkar's proposal. However, the freakish nature of the survival did surprise one and all including former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
"I've not seen one with a ball like that," Ponting said on Channel 7. "It's actually just made the stump move sideways. So therefore the groove of the bail has actually stayed exactly in the groove of the stump."
