Former Australia skipper Allan Border has slammed Tim Paine’s use of cricket’s decision review system.
The chocking Aussies are still smarting from Ben Stokes producing an Ashes miracle at Headingley.
But it would have been a different story had the tourists not burned their final review in a desperate bid to remove Jack Leach.
Just six balls earlier, Australia wasted their second and final review when a Pat Cummins ball clearly pitched well outside leg but they still challenged the failed appeal.
An lbw shout against Stokes was then amazingly turned down by umpire Joel Wilson even though replays showed he was plumb to Nathan Lyon - and that a challenge would have been successful.
Under-pressure captain Paine has been singled out for the blunder and Border said: “The one time where the review was there to be taken for the right reason and to win the Test match, we’ve run out of reviews because of stupidity earlier on.
“It’s come back to bite us badly. Our use of the review system has been appalling in this series in particular.”
England hero Stokes has been lauded worldwidde since his once-in-a-lifetime heroics- besides Down Under.
Wally Mason, sports editor of the respected broadsheet newspaper The Australian, said: “Amid the deafening applause for Stokes and his stunning unbeaten century to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, let’s not forget one key fact: he should have been out.
“Australia should have won the Test and reclaimed the Ashes. We should be going to Old Trafford 2-0 up in the series.
“The biggest blunder of the Headingley Test belongs to umpire Joel Wilson, who could do with a visit to SpecSavers.
“Let’s just hope it isn’t the blunder that costs Australia the Ashes series.”
