Ben Stokes fumes at Marnus Labuschagne ball-change antics on fourth day at Old Trafford

English captain Ben Stokes was fuming at one of Marnus Labuschagne’s eccentricities as the Aussie made life hell for the Poms on day four.

English captain Ben Stokes and Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne

English captain Ben Stokes was fuming after a Marnus Labuschagne eccentricity rubbed further salt in English wounds on the fourth day at Old Trafford.

With the Poms heading into the day’s play 162 runs ahead, with two days (albeit with heavy rain anticipated) to bowl out the Australians, victory was the most likely thought on Stokes’ mind as Labuschagne and Mitchell Marsh walked out in Manchester to attempt to save Australia’s hopes of a draw, and with it, the Ashes themselves.

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Labuschagne, who had struggled in the series so far at an average of 24, was obsessive in the lead up to the fourth Test in a desperate battle to lose the unwanted tag of a batter that can only do it at home.

Following a pair of soft dismissals at Headingley, Labuschagne was seen with no less than five coaches watching on as he faced throwdowns ahead of Old Trafford, and the work seemed to be paying off in spades at a critical juncture for the Australians.

As Labuschagne and Marsh built a defiant partnership, eventually to reach 103, Stokes took umbrage at Labuschagne’s own inspection of the replacement Dukes ball the umpires offered England in the 58th over.

Dukes balls particularly are made and finished by hand, and vary significantly more than their antipodean Kookaburra equivalents, and so there remains a degree of science and art in the selection of a ball.

Labuschagne’s defiant ton has put Australia in the box seat. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Stokes visibly remonstrated with the umpires after having alerted them to the previous ball being out of shape.

Journalist Bharat Sundaresan described Stokes as giving Labuschagne “a piece of his mind”.

While umpires previously routinely offered the balls to players for inspection when selecting a replacement ball that had fallen out of shape, newer protocols have meant umpires simply select for themselves the ball that is used without consultation.

Labuschagne went on to confirm the Poms’ displeasure in the post-match press conference.

“They weren’t happy that I wanted to have a look at the ball,” Labuschagne said.

“But I just wanted to have a look at the ball because in this country it’s pretty clear.

“If you look at the ball once you can pretty much tell straight away what it’s going to do. I looked at the ball, and I was like, ‘well, this is going (to) swing’.”

“Yeah, they were obviously not very happy with that. But I said it to Ben out there.

“‘Why do you want to look at the ball?’ he asked me, and I said ‘to see if it’s going to swing’. Jimmy Anderson went first ball to me, it’s a big inswinger.

“So I think it just helps you prepare. I mean, you know what you’re facing.

“I think it’s just being meticulous. For me, it was pretty common sense. Like, why would I not want to have a look at the ball, especially in England, with overcast conditions.”

Stokes reportedly gave Labuschagne a “piece of his mind”. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Labuschagne was on 74 at the time, and en route to an eventual 111, his highest ever score outside of Australia and only his second century away from home.

His defence and “meticulous” preparation has now put Australia in the box seat to retain the Ashes, with the Australians still having five wickets in hand when the final day’s play resumes again on July 23 at 8pm AEST, with the tourists leading the series 2-1.

Australian victory in the next Test at the Oval would give them their first series win in England in 22 years.