ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, India vs Australia: Virat Kohli unhappy with ‘zing’ bails after David Warner reprieve

Australia opener David Warner became the fifth batsman at the World Cup to get an unexpected reprieve after he dragged a ball on to his stump but the impact failed to dislodge the zing bails in Sunday’s match against India.

Amid all the riveting action, the talking point of this World Cup has been the zing bails and how they refuse to fall even when the ball hit the stumps. And it surfaced again in the second over of Australia’s innings when a David Warner tried to ride a short of a good length delivery by Jasprit Bumrah, but the ball ran off the face of the bat and smacked the stumps, only for the bails to be unmoved. (Complete coverage of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019)

Australia's David Warner (C), Australia's captain Aaron Finch (L) and India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni look on after the ball touched his stumps but did not dislodge the bails during the 2019 Cricket World Cup group stage match between India and Australia at The Oval in London on June 9, 2019(AFP)

Speaking after the match, Indian captain Virat Kohli wanted the cricket’s authorities to look into the issue of cricket bails not being knocked off by the ball thanks to new technology.

Australia opener David Warner became the fifth batsman at the World Cup to get an unexpected reprieve after he dragged a ball on to his stump but the impact failed to dislodge the zing bails in Sunday’s match against India.

“I haven’t seen that happen so many times in the past,” Kohli told reporters at a briefing.

“I’m sure no team would like seeing stuff like that when you actually bowl a good ball and then you don’t get the guy out, the ball hits the stump and the lights don’t come on, or the lights come on and the bail comes back on to the stump.”

Zing bails –- which contain lights that flash when the ball strikes the wicket –- have been a sore point in the current World Cup.

South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, Sri Lankan Dimuth Karunaratne, West Indian Chris Gayle and Mohammad Saifuddin of Bangladesh have already enjoyed similar luck at this World Cup but several former players felt it was harsh on the bowlers.

“This can’t keep happening with the bails!!! Hard enough being a bowler nowadays... needs changing,” tweeted former England captain Nasser Hussain.

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar also took to Twitter to express his dismay.

“What’s going on?? In my entire life, I have not seen five instances like this, let alone in the space of 10 days or a tournament,” he wrote.

On the eve of the match against India, Australia captain Aaron Finch said the zing bails appeared to need a bigger impact to be dislodged from their grooves.

“The bails seem to be a lot heavier, so it does take a bit of force,” he said on Saturday, pointing to similar cases during the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 competition.

“I’ve seen it a handful of times now in IPL and Big Bash where the ball rolls back on to the stumps, where the bails traditionally one of them will pop off.

“I think it’s just one of those things that you are aware of that when you’re on the right side of it, you are aware of it a bit easier than when you’re not.”

 

(With inputs from Reuters)