Ashes 2021-22: Technological failure blamed for Ben Stokes uncalled no balls

Multiple technological failures look set to rock the Ashes, as the Ben Stokes’ no-ball saga blows up in the faces of cricket officials bracing for the worst.

Ben Stokes’ no-ball dramas have exposed serious technological flaws which could haunt Ashes officials.

Gabba officials have weathered one technological controversy but are bracing themselves for more dramas this Test, with Real Time Snicko also crashing.

The failure of the auto no ball technology was blamed for umpires missing a sequence of four Ben Stokes’ no balls which led to David Warner getting a potentially match-defining lifeline in the Ashes opener.

But that wasn’t the end of the ICC’s equipment malfunctioning at the Gabba, with Real Time Snicko also failing to fire, leaving match officials vulnerable to more controversy.

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Stokes reacts after bowling a no ball to dismiss David Warner. Picture: Getty

When England called on DRS for an lbw shout on Steve Smith, which was turned down, the third umpire had no access to real time snicko despite ball passing bat by only a fine margin.

On day one when Australia went upstairs for a caught behind appeal, also unsuccessful, there was no snick to confirm the ball had hit pad rather than bat.

It’s understood the crucial snicko technology crashed from about the ninth over and frantic attempts so far to revive it have failed.

The result is the umpires Rod Tucker and Paul Reiffel were forced to return back to old school umpiring, without the safety net of technology.

For the past two years the ICC has utilised auto no ball technology, which relies on four cameras constantly feeding vision through to the third umpire so calls can be made on front foot no balls after every single delivery.

However, that technology crashed at the Gabba before the Test started, and so this match is being played under old playing conditions where front foot no balls are only reviewed by the third umpire after wicket taking deliveries.

Ben Stokes bowled 14 no-balls during the first session of play, of which only one was called by the on-field umpire. Picture: Getty

Ricky Ponting slammed umpires for “pathetic” officiating and upon hearing of the auto no ball technology being down, still described the glitch, and the umpiring as “disappointing”.

“If someone upstairs is meant to be checking these, and they haven’t decided that any of those are a no ball, it is pathetic officiating as far as I’m concerned,” said Ponting on Channel 7.

“For that to go down on the eve of the biggest series that’s being played for 12 months is a little bit disappointing. But, some of those no-balls are not marginal… some of those were six inches over the front line. Are the umpires now just getting lazy? Not looking at it enough? I know they have been spooked in the past by calling a no-ball that actually wasn’t a no-ball that a wicket fell on, so that was where this whole new system came into place.”

Warner rode his luck during a lengthy stay in the middle... but technology played a big part. Picture: Getty

Players knew the revised conditions before the match, which might explain Stokes’ contained reaction after being called for a no ball when he should have had Warner bowled for just 17.

The technological issues at the Gabba may have cost England dearly, because if any of his previous three no balls to start his first over were picked up, he may have checked his run up before the wicket-taking delivery.

Warner got another life on 48 when Rory Burns dropped an absolute sitter at third slip off the bowling of Ollie Robinson, as England’s pain was compounded further.

There’s been five previous occasions in Warner’s career where he’s been given a reprieve from a front foot no-ball and this was the only time he hadn’t gone on to post a hundred – but enough damage had still been caused when he was ultimately out for 94.

Crash: Sloppy Stokes got what he deserved

— Robert Craddock

If you are driving in a 60kph zone do you need a police radar to keep you beneath the speed limit?

No? Well if that’s the case there is no need to feel any sympathy for English all-rounder Ben Stokes for having to sacrifice the wicket of David Warner who was recalled after the third umpire detected a no-ball on the second morning of the Test.

It’s true that the ICC’s technology failure caused the problem because the unavailable “auto-noball’’ technology was not in place to automatically notify the umpire when the bowler oversteps.

Ben Stokes bowled 14 no-balls during the first session of play, of which only one was called by the on-field umpire. Picture: Getty

That meant umpire Rod Tucker was left as the man to detect it but he had a challenge because umpires often say they find Stokes front foot placement difficult to properly sight, particularly when he bowls close to the stumps which he was.

Tucker didn’t call it because he had trouble seeing it.

The fact that Stokes preceded his wicket-taking ball with four more undetected no-balls in the same over left every-one red faced.

But when it was later revealed that Stokes bowled 14 no-balls in his first five overs – and only one was called – it could be said he got what he deserved for being so sloppy.

Apparently hawkeye picked up Ben Stokes bowling *14* no-balls in the first session. #ashes 👀

— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) December 9, 2021

Only one thing stays the same every game, every innings, every day from Brisbane to Birmingham and Barbados in between ... the position of the front line. It’s as unchangeable as the alphabet which is why there is never any legitimate excuse for over-stepping.

There was till no more excuse for Stokes than any speeding driver who got away four times doing 70kph in a 60kph zone before being booked on day five.

Incredibly, Stokes sensed he was his trouble. His reaction was subdued. He seemed much like a relay swimmer who snatched the gold but deep down knew they had dived in the water early.

The question lingers … if Stokes knew he was in trouble when he appealed for the Warner dismissal ball why didn’t sense anything from the previous four?

Originally published as Ashes 2021-22: Technological failure blamed for Ben Stokes uncalled no balls