London (AFP) – England opener Alex Hales said Tuesday he had no problems giving a partial refund to a spectator who complained about the slow over-rate during the third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston.
Between them, England and Pakistan only managed to bowl 81 of a scheduled 90 overs on Friday’s third day.
The fault mainly lay with England, who fell behind the rate early on.
Upset fan Alexis Fuller, who was in the Edgbaston crowd on Friday, contacted several England players to ask for a 10 percent refund after Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, pointed out that only 81 overs had been bowled.
“I want 10% of my money back,” Fuller wrote. “Wouldn’t go to football and find it ended after 80mins.”
Hales, who was 50 not out at stumps and went on to make 54 in a match England won by 141 runs to go 2-1 up in the four-match series ahead of Thursday’s fourth Test at The Oval, replied saying: “ok DM me your bank details I’ll do it now”.
Fuller later posted a picture on social media that appeared to show a payment of £4.10 from Hales into his account.
“That was all in good spirits,” Hales told reporters at The Oval on Tuesday.
“I saw the tweet and it made me chuckle and he had a point as well.
“I didn’t think I’d get a response, but when he did it I thought I better go through with it. But it was all in good spirits.
“He sent me his details and I thought I better do the right thing.
“I might have crumbled with 20,000 more tweets but it was in good spirits, a bit of fun.”
Hales added: “I think it’s something we will be conscious of as a squad going forward, to be on top of our over rate.
“It can be tough with DRS (the Decision Review System) and umpires and other stoppages that are inevitable, but it’s something we will look to do as a team going forward, get better with our over-rate.”
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