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Umpiring Blunder Exposed: No-Ball Missed in Ashes Decider

An umpiring blunder came to light after Australia's Ashes series victory, where a wicket-taking delivery to dismiss England's Harry Brook was a missed no-ball. Third umpire Kumar Dharmasena failed to detect the infringement, which under the laws should have been checked and would have recalled Brook. England's innings collapsed soon after, setting up a comfortable Australian win to seal the series 4-1. Former England captain Michael Vaughan condemned the error as unacceptable in the modern game with available technology.

Key Points: Ashes Umpiring Error: No-Ball Missed in Brook Dismissal

  • Umpire missed a clear back-foot no-ball
  • Harry Brook was wrongly dismissed lbw
  • Third umpire Kumar Dharmasena failed to check
  • England collapsed after the pivotal wicket
  • Australia won the Test and series 4-1
2 min read

Umpire's 'no-ball blunder' comes to light after Australia wrap up Ashes series 4-1

An umpiring error in the Sydney Test saw a missed no-ball on Harry Brook's wicket. Michael Vaughan calls it unacceptable in the modern era.

"That shouldn't happen. That is a big moment... it's not acceptable in this era. - Michael Vaughan"

Sydney, Jan 8

An umpiring error has come to light following Harry Brook's dismissal in England's second innings, which reportedly stemmed from an illegal delivery by Australian all-rounder Beau Webster that went unnoticed.

On Day 4 of the Sydney Test, with England at 219/3, Webster trapped Brook lbw for 42, a wicket that handed the tourists a slender 36-run lead. However, replays later showed Webster had overstepped, with his back foot clearly outside the return crease. Third umpire Kumar Dharmasena failed to detect the no-ball, according to Code Sports.

Under the laws, the third umpire is required to check every wicket-taking delivery for front and back-foot no-balls. Had the infringement been identified, Brook should have been recalled to the crease.

England's innings unravelled soon after Brook's dismissal, yielding just 124 further runs and setting Australia a modest target of 160. The hosts chased it down comfortably to seal a 4-1 series victory.

On Day 5, Australia opener Jake Weatherald was also reprieved after appearing to edge a delivery from England seamer Brydon Carse. Dharmasena ruled there was insufficient evidence of a clear spike on Snicko, a decision that visibly frustrated Carse and left captain Ben Stokes furious as he challenged the on-field umpire.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said such errors are unacceptable in the modern game, stressing that technology should prevent mistakes of this magnitude.

"I don't think England will use these kind of decisions as an excuse for why they haven't won the Ashes but fundamentally, we're in 2026. With all the technology, that shouldn't happen. To think there's been some back foot no balls bowled on wickets and nothing has been done; it's not acceptable in this era.

"That shouldn't happen. That is a big moment. Are the third umpires looking for a back foot no-ball or not? They're the officiators of the game; they should know every rule. It's a no ball, it should have been called," he told News Corp.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priyanka N
Vaughan is right. We have all this tech - Snicko, Hotspot, Hawk-Eye - but the human element is still failing. The protocol is clear: check every wicket-taking delivery. It's not a suggestion, it's the law! This isn't about blaming the 4-1 loss on one decision, but about upholding the integrity of the sport. The ICC really needs to review third umpire protocols and accountability. 🤔
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Aman W
As an Indian cricket fan, we know all about umpiring controversies! 😅 Jokes aside, this is a serious issue. The game's laws must be applied consistently. If the same error happened in a closer match, say an India vs Pakistan final, the uproar would be immense. The system needs to be foolproof. Maybe automate the front/back foot no-ball checks completely?
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Sarah B
While the error is regrettable, let's be honest, Australia was the far better team throughout the series. A 4-1 scoreline tells the real story. One decision, even a big one, doesn't change the fact that England's batting collapsed repeatedly. They have bigger problems to fix than umpiring calls.
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Vikram M
Respectfully, I have to disagree with just blaming the umpire. What about the on-field umpires? Don't they have the primary responsibility to watch the bowler's foot? The third umpire is a backup. The entire officiating team failed. Also, where is the match referee in all this? Silent as usual. The whole structure needs an overhaul.
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Karthik V

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