Ashes icon Ricky Ponting gets support after demanding investigation following Stuart Broad drama
Ashes icon Ricky Ponting demanded an investigation after England beat Australia
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Australia hero Ricky Ponting called for an investigation into the umpiring following Stuart Broad's heroics in the fifth and final Ashes Test.
And his compatriot Glenn McGrath has now backed his former captain, with the retired bowler believing the standards weren't up to scratch.
Australia were unhappy with the decision to give England a new ball in the morning of Day 5 at The Oval.
Ponting then told Sky Sports: "The biggest concern I have is the big discrepancy in the condition of the ball that was chosen to replace the one [that had gone out of shape].
Ricky Ponting and Glenn McGrath want an investigation into the umpires following Ashes drama
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"There's no way in the world you can even look at those two balls there and say in any way are they comparable.
"At the end of the day, if you are going to change the ball, you want to make sure that you get it right, so [you make it] as close as you possibly can to the one that you're changing it from.
"Now if you have a look in that box, there weren't too many older-condition balls in there.
"There were some older ones that were picked up, the umpires looked at that and threw them back.
"I just cannot fathom how two international umpires that have done that a lot of times before can get that so wrong.
"That is a huge moment in this game, potentially a huge moment in the Test match, and something I think actually has to be investigated: whether there was the right condition of balls in the box, or the umpires have just, blasé, picked one out of there that they think will be okay to use."
And McGrath has now backed up Ponting's complaints.
"I must say - and it is not the reason England won - the fact the umpires changed a 37-over-old ball on day four - the original was knocked out of shape when Mark Wood hit Usman Khawaja on the helmet - for one that looked like it had been used for no more than 15 overs has to be looked into to," he said.
"That should not happen.
"But, ultimately, the wait for a first Ashes series win in the UK since 2001 goes on another four years."
While Australia were sour, England were jubilant.
It was the perfect farewell for Broad, who had announced he'd be retiring from all forms of cricket days previously.
The England bowler took the final two wickets to make it a memorable evening in London.
And though the hosts weren't able to win the urn, their impressive brand of cricket bodes well for the future.
Meanwhile, England captain Ben Stokes was delighted after drawing the series and believes the entirety of the Ashes was 'needed' for Test cricket.
"I genuinely believe this is what Test cricket needed," he said.
"Every player in an England and Australia shirt is a massive advocate for Test cricket to stay alive.
"We have been very vocal about that being an objective in the way we play and I think this series has really done that.
"It has captivated so many new fans and attracted a new audience. Test cricket is the purest form and I absolutely love it.
"I hope this series has got it even bigger.
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Stuart Broad stepped up for England in the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia
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"Two high-quality teams going at it toe-to-toe has been something you couldn't take your eyes off. Every session has been its own game.
"I really hope we've inspired a new generation. I look back to 2005 and what that series did for me as a young person, and I really hope there's someone who's the age I was then who says: 'That's what I want to be doing'."
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