Brisbane: England star all-rounder Ben Stokes on Thursday was denied a wicket in his first over on day two of the ongoing first Ashes Test at the Gabba since he returned to cricket after more than nine months.
Stokes bowled Australia opener David Warner with a no-ball but it was soon revealed that Stokes had overstepped on the first three balls of the over.
Moreover, it was later confirmed that the technology put in place to allow the TV official to monitor the front line had gone down before the match started which means the Test was being played under the previous playing conditions where only wicket-taking deliveries are checked, ESPNcricinfo reported.
The broadcast replays showed that Stokes' first five overs had 14 no-balls, with only one called on field. The Australia opener Warner was on 17 when Stokes stopped himself from celebrating the wicket as he thought he was over the front line. Warner went on to score 94 off 176 balls before Ollie Robinson dismissed him.
Soon the broadcaster replayed the over which made it clear that the England all-rounder had bowled no-ball each time.
According to the ICC playing conditions for the World Test Championship, "The third umpire shall review television replays of the bowler's front foot landing and, if he/she is satisfied that any of these three conditions have not been met, he/she shall immediately advise the bowler's end umpire who shall in turn immediately call and signal No-ball."
The world cricket governing body first started the use of the TV umpire monitoring the front line every delivery in 2019, while it was used for the first time in Test cricket during the series between England and Pakistan in 2020. (UNI)