Cricket world baffled by "one of the most bizarre things seen" in Ashes

The cricketing world was left stunned by a "bizarre" incident on day three of the fourth Ashes test in Sydney.

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green seemed to have clean-bowled English batsman Ben Stokes midway through the day but somehow the bails did not fall off the stumps

Coming from around the wicket, Green got the ball to nip back into the left-hander and clip the top of off stump.

The ball deviated on its way through to the wicketkeeper, yet the bails were unmoved.

Presumably believing the ball had struck Stokes' pad, the Australians appealed for lbw and umpire Paul Reiffel awarded the wicket. But after Stokes called for a review, replays showed what had truly transpired.

"That's one of the most bizarre things I've seen," former Australian spinner Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket.

"I'm still in shock. I don't quite understand what we just saw. Look at how hard this hit the stumps. But the Australian team appealed too. What are they appealing for? I've never seen anything like that."

Legendary commentator Jim Maxwell said on ABC Grandstand: "It's hard to believe that actually happened."

Australian batsman David Warner later started repeatedly flicking the off stump during the break in play, showing how much force was required for the bail to move.

Earlier, after Australia had declared their innings closed at 416-8 on Thursday, England's batting woes continued on Friday morning, with the visitors losing four wickets in the opening session before the lunch break.

Victorian quick Scott Boland was once again the chief destroyer, claiming two wickets in a superb four-over spell.

However, Stokes and Jonny Bairstow fought back in the afternoon session, surviving until the tea break without losing another wicket.