Bumrah fires off nukes but it’s a balls-up for Dukes

IT WAS a load of old balls at the home of cricket.

- By Jeremy Cross

But whatever Jasprit Bumrah had in his hand, it seemed to work for him.

Bumrah is such a special bowler he could have been throwing down a rotten apple and would still have taken wickets.

As it was, Bumrah’s nuke was a Duke.

The phrase ‘new balls please’ is more associated with that place across town at Wimbledon.

But here at Lord’s, both umpires were in danger of going through more of them than their counterparts at SW19.

Twice India demanded the ball be changed during the morning session.

A ball is supposed to last 80 overs, but the ones being rolled out here were not even surviving 10.

Leading to more delays and an even slower over rate.