Ben Stokes has been accused of trying to ‘cheat’ with his attempts to get Steve Smith out just before lunch in the Fifth Test of The Ashes. The final day of the 2023 Ashes was always going to have some drama as England chased victory and it came in a strange sequence on the brink of lunch.
Steve Smith and Travis Head had established a strong partnership as they chased England’s tally of 384 to claim their first outright series success on English soil since 2001. But Stokes fumbled a great opportunity to catch Smith out just as the match was breaking for lunch.
The England captain grabbed onto a glove from Smith with an outstretched arm and began his celebrations seemingly too early as the ball fell out of his grip. There was confusion in the aftermath as Stokes reviewed the call only for umpire Joel Wilson to side with Smith.
The crowd booed the decision with Stokes pleading with the umpire as he left the field for lunch, but some were far from impressed by Stokes’ decision to review in the first place.
@Big24Juicy wrote: “Absolute cheating dog is Ben Stokes. Knew he dropped it and still referred it. And he has the audacity along with his fellow cult bazball disciples to talk about spirit of cricket. Hypocrisy at its finest. #Ashes2023”
@FrankWCE1992 tweeted: “Not out. Stokes a cheat trying to review his own dropped catching knowing he dropped it.”
@SPierceParick said: “He dropped the ball. He knew he dropped the ball. He claimed the catch. What a dead set cheat you are Ben Stokes!!!”
@norewardswithout posted: “Stokes; For someone to bang on about the spirit of cricket…then review a dropped catch? Is that a cheat?”
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