JOFRA ARCHER was involved in a beamer row as South Africa claimed he should have been kicked out of England’s bowling attack.
Pace ace Archer sent down two successive high full tosses to nightwatchman Anrich Nortje in the penultimate over of day two of the First Test in Centurion.
The first was called no-ball and square leg umpire Paul Reiffel also put out his arm to signal a no-ball for the second.
But then Reiffel appeared to change his mind.
Two beamers mean a bowler is automatically removed from the attack for the rest of the innings.
Proteas captain Faf du Plessis and coach Mark Boucher confronted umpires Reiffel and Chris Gaffaney after they left the field to ask why Archer was not banished.
The umpires decided the second delivery both were attempted knuckle balls which left Archers hand more slowly than normal was not high enough to be dangerous.
But match referee Andy Pycroft warned England captain Joe Root that Archer must be careful for the rest of the Test.
Batsman Joe Denly, who scored 50 before England lost seven wickets for 39 runs, said: I was at leg slip and I wasnt expecting two beamers.
The first no-ball call was fair enough. The second just missed the stumps. I saw the umpire put his arm out and he tucked it in quite quickly. The umpires withdrew that second no-ball.
Englands collapse left them with a first-innings deficit of 103, which South Africa increased to 175 by the close with six wickets standing.
Home bowler Vernon Philander, who took 4-16, said: The umpires have to make the correct call. If youre at square leg and call no-ball, youve got to stand your ground.
