James Anderson reveals Ben Stokes had asked umpire not to award England four overthrow runs after ball deflected off his bat

James Anderson reveals Ben Stokes had asked umpire not to award England four overthrow runs after ball deflected off his bat for a boundary

One of England’s biggest hero in their journey to be eventually crowned the World Champions of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Ben Stokes has been the apple of every English person’s eye, especially after his Tournament winning knock of 84* off 98 deliveries plus the Super Over heroics too with the bat.

Apart from his knock, he was also a centre of attraction for the infamous overthrow controversy which took place in the 4th delivery of the last over. Martin Guptill’s throw from the deep hit Stokes’ bat and luckily got deflected off to the boundary fence granting a total of six eventual match-winning runs on the scoreboard.

Stokes immediately raised both his arms as if pleading not guilty of the ball deflecting off his bat.

Now, the veteran England fast bowler- James Anderson has revealed that Stokes had, in fact after the incident, asked the umpire to not award the four freebie runs, as he perhaps did not deserve it.

What did James Anderson comment?

James Anderson said that the England all-rounder, who apologise impromptu after the incident occurred had appealed to the umpires to overturn their decision.

I think, talking to Michael Vaughan who saw him after the game, Ben Stokes actually went to the umpires and said, ‘Can you take that four runs off. We don’t want it.’ But it’s in the rules and that’s the way it is,” Sydney Morning Herald quoted Anderson as telling BBC’s Tailenders podcast.

Further commenting about the general etiquette observed by Cricketers regarding them abstaining to take the extra run in such circumstances, Anderson was of the view that one cannot do anything about it if the ball reaches the boundary fence.

“The etiquette in cricket is if the ball is thrown at the stumps and it hits you and goes into a gap in the field you don’t run. But if it goes to the boundary, in the rules it’s four and you can’t do anything about it”, opined Anderson.

What did more rounds on the internet pertaining the incident was former ICC umpire- Simon Taufel’s observation regarding the decision of awarding six runs as the overthrow count to the total.

“They (England) should have been awarded five runs, not six, it’s a clear mistake and it’s an error of judgment.” Taufel told foxsports.com.au. referring to the law 18.6.