South African Marais Erasmus and Sri Lankans Ruchira Palliyaguruge and Kumar Dharmasena will be the umpires for the remaining matches in a what is become a riveting Ashes series.

The first Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham and third at Headingley in Leeds were riddled with errors from Pakistani Aleem Dar, New Zealander Chris Gaffaney and West Indian Joel Wilson.

Wilson and Gaffaney had eight and seven decisions overturned at Edgbaston and Headingley, respectively.

Ruchira Palliyaguruge joins Erasmus for the fourth test with Dharmasena moving in for the fifth test alongside the South African.

‘I would like to think the game has come far enough now for the game to not have neutral umpires. People might say that with all the technology we’ve got now, it doesn’t matter that much,’ said former Australia captain Ricky Ponting earlier this month.

‘But it’s not a good spectacle when pretty obviously wrong decisions are made. It has already been spoken about a lot among the players. Surely English umpire Richard Kettleborough and the like would want to be umpiring the best series.

‘The best umpires can end up missing out on all the big tournaments. It could force umpires into retirement a bit early.’

Erasmus and Dharmasena officiated the World Cup final between England and New Zealand at Lord’s in London earlier this year.

The Ashes is currently locked at one-all. Australia won the Birmingham Test on the back of successive centuries from batsman Steven Smith. The Lord’s Test was drawn. A superb century from all-rounder Ben Stokes, in collaboration with defiant tailender Jack Leach, carried England to triumph in the Headingley match.

The fourth Test will be played at Old Trafford in Manchester from 4 September.

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