Top 5 controversial dismissals in matches between Australia and England
Controversies are never far away when England meet Australia play each otherControversies are the entertaining part of life. They might do more harm than good, but one can’t deny its fun aspect. Controversy is also the first pillar to fame; just ask Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton.If you are aspiring anything and want to be known for your antics, all you need is to do something highly controversial that will make you an internet sensation overnight. To be honest, it is not even so hard these days as there are plenty of websites which are followed by plenty of people who love watching completely irrelevant and pointless stuff. The internet made Justin Bieber popular – there can’t be a better testament to the power of the internet.Without digressing any further, the rivalry between England and Australia is the cricket equivalent of the one between Marvel and DC Comics. The heat of the moment in every moment of such encounters is always going through the roof and hence we are always a whisker away from something controversial to happen.And there’s been some eye-widening storms over the years and here we list the Top 5 controversial dismissals in matches between the two teams.
#1 James Anderson run out (2015 World Cup)
This was one of the most hilarious mix-ups (Not from an England point of view) in the history of the World Cup. One would have thought that the umpires must be fully aware of the rules and regulations of the game before being allowed to officiate games. This game, however, shows that even umpires live in their fair share of ignorance.
James Taylor was batting at 98* and there was just another ball left in the innings. England needed 112 runs to win off the last ball, so the only salvation from such an embarrassment would have been Taylor reaching the three-figure mark at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
So, as the ball hit the legs of Taylor, the Australian players appealed and umpire Aleem Dhar raised his finger. Meanwhile, after the Pakistani had raised his finger, Glenn Maxwell—fielding at point—threw the ball towards the stumps and hit them.
The original LBW decision was overturned after it was referred by Taylor, but the Australians weren’t content—they now appealed for the run-out. Replays showed that Anderson was outside his crease and was hence adjudged run out, denying Taylor the chance to reach the century.
In the aftermath of the controversies regarding the decision, ICC acknowledged the fact that the umpires were wrong since the rules say that the ball should have been declared dead as soon as the umpire raised his finger, which occurred before Maxwell’s release.
“I make rules so hard to understand that I call myself ICC.”