England’s LBW review, led by Jos Buttler, turned out to be a glaring blunder as replays swiftly confirmed the ball’s contact with the middle of the bat, not the pad.
In a dominant first T20I victory over New Zealand, England provided a moment of cricketing comedy. During Liam Livingstone’s over, a scene unfolded as New Zealand stood at six wickets down with less than 100 runs on the board.
Buttler, positioned behind the stumps, appealed when Glenn Phillips defended a ball. However, with no other fielders nearby, Buttler and Livingstone had to decide on a review themselves. They opted to take the matter upstairs, possibly entertaining thoughts of the ball making contact with the boot before hitting the bat. However, Buttler’s initial sheepish smile hinted at the confidence of their appeal. This ambition was swiftly exposed as replays confirmed that the ball had distinctly struck the middle of the bat’s toe and was nowhere near the pad.
Laughter ensued, with Henry Moeran calling it “one of the all-time terrible reviews” on BBC Test Match Special. “Do you think England should lose both of their reviews for that?” asked TMS statistician Andy Zaltzman.
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Nevertheless, the moment held little significance in the grand scheme. England managed to restrict New Zealand to 139 runs and chased down the target of 140 with six overs to spare.
The match saw notable contributions from Dawid Malan, who repaid England’s faith after being omitted by Trent Rockets during The Hundred, and Harry Brook, playing his first international innings since being excluded from England’s 2023 World Cup squad.
The second T20I of the series is scheduled for September 1 in Manchester.
Last Updated on August 31, 2023
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