In the opening Test of their current series, England and Sri Lanka were involved in a controversy. A ball-change call that many felt was unfairly given to the hosts as a reward. When England got a fresh ball in the second innings, they took control of the match.
But the choice infuriated seasoned player Angelo Mathews. With Kamindu Mendis by his side, the 37-year-old was batting with a score of 59 runs. But as England pulled away, Mathews was removed in the tenth over following the taking of the new ball.
Unless they turned the ball, Angelo Mathews said, England were out of ideas.
He said the umpires had not been able to find an appropriate ball, so the ball they selected was relatively tougher. The new ball allowed the England pacers to re-enter the match and ultimately win it.
“To be honest, that was unfortunate. We were content yesterday until the ball was changed. Before day four began, Mathews told Test Match Special, “I think it could be unfair for batters on both teams because the batters want to get rid of the hard, shiny ball.”
“I believe that after the ball was switched, the game’s entire dynamic changed. It was pretty tough because it began to swing both sides and to nip back in. It’s terrible that the ball was altered and it began to swing, which altered the entire nature of the game, and the hitters are waiting to get rid of the ball’s hardness,” he continued.
Additionally, he disclosed that he was unsure of the ball’s age. In order to prevent this from happening again, he also requested a stringent modification to the rules and a clear set of guidelines.
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“I’m not sure what year the balls were made, but you need to have a set of guidelines where you decide how the ball will be altered. It may truly hurt the hitters, I’m not sure, but that’s what he stated.
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