Smith considers appeal for Stokes dismissal `fair`

Wellington, Sept. 6 : Australian skipper Steven Smith has said that his team was fair in making an appeal to get England batsman Ben Stokes out of the field for lifting his left hand to block the ball to hit the stumps, adding that even the umpires agreed with their decision.

Australia appealed that Stokes be sent out of the field when he was seen outside his crease after blocking a throw from pacer Mitchell Starc.

Smith added he had noticed that Stokes was out of his ground and he deliberately lifted the hand which was against the rules, and amounted to obstructing the fielding side, Stuff.co.nz reports.

The 26-year-old felt disappointed over England skipper Eoin Morgan’s remark that he would have withdrawn the appeal had he been in charge.

Morgan said Stokes had not performed the act deliberately, and instead, had done it to protect himself. He said the ball was thrown so fast that Stokes had to react.

With the appeal, Stokes became the seventh player to be adjudged out for obstructing the field in the history of international cricket. (ANI)