The former England captain, Michael Vaughan, has looked back at the tactical change the Ollie Pope-led side made during the opening game of the three-match series against Sri Lanka last week in Manchester when they decided to change the old ball when it wasn’t going anything.
The umpires, after giving a fair look at the ball’s shape and color, decided to change it. The move brought a huge change in the game, as Angelo Matthews, who was batting beautifully by that period, went back to the dressing room. The veteran and former captain of the side felt that the replacement of the delivery changed the whole momentum of the game.
Micheal Vaughan believes that it was a cunning tactical move from the England side to change the ball by comparing a new one, and suddenly it started to swing a lot and brought the home back in the contest.
“A great mention of England once again, that tactical genius move that they changed the ball. 42 overs, (and then) it started to get a bit soft, and Angelo Matthews has played great, full of control, the ball’s not doing anything.” The Manchester-born batter expressed this during a podcast on ‘Club Prairie Fire’. “Well, it’s not even moving a millimeter, and then, obviously, you get the ball changed, don’t you? It was out of shape and, suddenly, England gets a nice and fresh one and, it starts to swing around.”
Micheal Vaughan asks all teams to follow England’s tactical move
The former right-handed batter also felt that the fourth umpire for that game, Michael Burns, brought a box of balls, which didn’t let the two on-field umpires make up their mind.
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“They have done it before, but I can’t remember when! But it has started to become a clever maneuver in the UK. I think Michael Burns in the fourth umpire, who brings the box (of balls) out, and he brought one box out, and they were deemed right obviously change the ball with they’re changing.” Michael Vaughan noted. “So, another box came out and, well it was a beauty. It was hopping everywhere and, can you believe it?
The same incident took place during last year’s Ashes when Australia was batting comfortably in their fourth innings chase of the fifth Test at the Kennington Oval in London. But a new ball changed the whole equation, as the tourists kept on losing wickets.
“I don’t know. Is there never a ball change anywhere else in the world? From my recollection, even from when I was playing, very rarely, you would change the ball and get a worse ball. Very rarely, you get a ball that’s a lot worse than the one you are swapping for.” The 49-year-old shaded light.
The veteran felt that it was a brilliant move from the England team to make the change, as it also wondered why the other teams haven’t yet done the same.
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“What they have done is that over the years their balls have been used before to a similar kind of age. What England has done is look back in the footage of the last five years and kind of look at teams who have blocked the s*it out of it for 42 overs. It’s 42 overs old, but they haven’t hit it. Whatever, but it’s a good staff and, I’m surprised more teams don’t try it.” Michael Vaughan concluded.
England 🏴 were in the headlines again after a controversial ball change in the first Test against Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 but Vaughany reckons more teams should do it 😂
Will we see it 👀 happen again this week?#ClubPrairieFire pic.twitter.com/OqbDonXpFV
— Club Prairie Fire (@clubprairiefire) August 30, 2024
After the ongoing second Test at Lord’s, both teams will move to Kennington Oval for the final red-ball game of the summer, starting on September 06.
