Siddle’s no-ball blunder leaves Australia fearing for their Ashes chances
AUSTRALIAN fast bowler Ryan Harris fears “unacceptable” errors could see his team throw away their chance to regain the Ashes this summer.
England made an early recovery from 28-3 to move to 168-4 on the first day of the second Test at Lord’s when seamer Peter Siddle thought he had made the crucial breakthrough by knocking over Jonny Bairstow’s middle stump.
The 23-year-old Yorkshire batsman was halfway back to the pavilion when he gazed up to see replays on the big screen, situated in the corner of the Allen Stand, which showed Siddle had in fact overstepped the crease and bowled a no ball.
After confirmation from the third umpire Bairstow, who was on 21 at the time, returned to the middle and reached 67, forming a fruitful 144-run partnership with century-maker Ian Bell.
And Harris, who finished the day with figures of 3-43, conceded such mistakes could decide the outcome of the entire series.
“It’s not acceptable, it cost us a lot of runs and potentially can cost the Ashes,” said Harris, who holds an English passport, as his dad was born in Leicester, and once spoke with former captain Mike Gatting about representing England.
“The guys work hard on it in training and we’re watched when we land to make sure we’re doing the right things so we don’t get into bad habits.
“Darren [Lehmann] wasn’t very happy when we got into lunch, you just can’t afford to need to take 11 wickets, it’s as simple as that.
“But I guess it was just one of those things, it was probably the only no ball he bowled all day, it’s funny how the game works.”