WATCH: Mitchell Starc Catch Gets Overturned As Controversy Erupts In Ashes; Glenn McGrath Calls It 'Disgrace'

Ben Duckett was the man who survived and remained unbeaten at Stumps On Day 4 at Lord's after the Mitchell Starc catch was overturned.

Mitchell Starc of Australia catches out Ben Duckett (not pictured) of England before being overturned by the Third Umpire as not out during Day Four of the LV= Insurance Ashes 2nd Test match between England and Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground on July 01, 2023 in London, England.

Source : Getty Images

A major controversy erupted during day four of the ongoing second Test match of the Ashes 2023 series at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground in London on Saturday. The incident happened when a catch from Mitchell Starc was deemed not out during the final session of the day's play. While England found themselves in a tricky situation with them having lost four wickets for 45 runs before the incident occured in the 29th over, two overs before the bails were dislodged and stums called for the day by the umpires.

As Australia continued their tactics of balling it short against England, the Three Lions' Ben Duckett failed to get a desired connection on a short-pitch ball from Cameon Green and in fact managed to get just the toe end of it. However, the ball went way behind the stumps towards the fine leg region where Starc seemingly completed a fine catch. While initially it looked like the left-arm pacer had taken a great catch, the ball touched the ground as Starc's hand came down and the third umpire deemed it in favour of England. The decision has irked Australians, both the current and the former crop of cricketers with ex-pacer Glenn McGrath even calling it a "disgrace."

Here is the 'grounded' catch:

 

Well then...

What do we think of this one? 👀

Cleary grounded 😉 #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/bPHQbw81dl

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 1, 2023

McGrath was on commentary when the decision to call it "not out" was arrived at by the South African third-umpire Marais Erasmus and he wasn't pleased with the call that had been made. “That is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever seen. He has got it under control. I've seen everything this game has to offer, if that is not out, then every other catch that has been taken should be not out. That is a disgrace,” McGrath said. 

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting also referred to Steve Smith's catch of Joe Root in the first innings and said that especially since the earlier catch had been deemed out, this ouught to have been adjuged the same since Starc was in control of the ball for longer than Smith.