Chris Woakes cursed the fine margins of cricket’s review system after the opening day of England’s second Rothesay Test against India hinged on a couple of borderline decisions at Edgbaston.
India edged an attritional battle to finish on 310 for five, thanks in large part to an unbeaten 114 from captain Shubman Gill, but could have found themselves in trouble early on.
Woakes bowled KL Rahul in an outstanding opening spell but was unlucky not to add Yashasvi Jaiswal and Karun Nair, who both survived lbw shouts by the skin of their teeth.
Ball-tracking suggested both deliveries would have clipped the bails but, with Bangladeshi official Sharfuddoula Saikat unmoved, each appeal was struck down on ‘umpire’s call’. Jaiswal went from 12 to 87 after being spared, with Nair adding another 26 following his reprieve.
Woakes, whose usual happy-go-lucky demeanour gave way to visible annoyance as the ill-fortune mounted up, said: “There’s probably been a few (grumpy) moments over the years, but that’s right up there. Emotions run high when you’re desperate to do well for the team.
“It was a pretty frustrating morning. We could easily have had them 30 for three. We thought if that pitch was going to do a bit it would first up and I think that could have been justified.
“You look at it and had those decisions gone our way the day looks completely different. A great day for us would have been 300 for seven.”
While Woakes remains supportive of the the referral system, he felt Nair had been particularly lucky after shouldering arms to a ball that jagged back in at him and would have grazed the top of off stump.
“I need to be careful because I’ve had some go my way over the years and, in general, DRS (has) been good for the game because a lot more right decisions are given,” he said.
“The only thing I would like to change is if a batter decides to leave the ball and it’s hitting the stumps, I think that should be out, regardless if it’s just clipping.”
The 36-year-old all-rounder sprung the same trap later on, persuading Nitish Kumar Reddy to offer no stroke at another ball that angled in and this time hit the stumps.
Woakes, whose figures of two for 59 did not do him justice, savoured a strong performance on home turf and spared a thought for his late father, who died last year.
“He’s always on my mind. He loved his cricket and he would have loved this week,” he said.
“Across a career you don’t get that many games at your home venue and is my fourth Test here. I’ve got a love for Warwickshire that goes deep – it’s all I’ve ever known. I was here before this stand was.
“There’s friends and family here and people behind the scenes who support you through the good times as well as the bad.”
PA
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