The Ashes 2023 is all set for a controversial end as a ball change on Sunday was followed by an Australia collapse in the fourth innings on Monday. The visitors went from a comfortable 135/0 overnight to losing three wickets down in quick succession on Day 5.On-field umpires Joel Wilson and Kumar Dharmasena agreed to change the 36-overs-old ball after Mark Wood hit Usman Khawaja on the helmet on Sunday. The play ended for the day just two overs after that.However, on Monday, England picked up three wickets within 10 overs, sending back both openers and Marnus Labuschagne. All the wickets came off extravagant seam movement off the pitch, something that was just not visible on Day 4.This prompted a conversation regarding the ball change, and the broadcasters showed photos of the 'original' and the 'new' ball. The latter (though shown from the shiny side) looked in much better condition, with a more pronounced seam.Fans on Twitter went berserk, with the excitement perhaps only matched by the Jonny Bairstow run-out controversy. Most slammed the host players and the umpires.Here are some of the reactions:Ian Higgins@1an_HigginsGoing to be hard to take when they bring out the tennis ball with tape on one side in 5 overs20715Going to be hard to take when they bring out the tennis ball with tape on one side in 5 oversMatt Roller@mroller98Ball change after the first delivery of the 37th over last night shaping as a significant moment in this Test twitter.com/Gmaxi_32/statu…175Ball change after the first delivery of the 37th over last night shaping as a significant moment in this Test twitter.com/Gmaxi_32/statu…Srinivas R@srini_r_twitEng are cheating to win and going to very smug about it. I hope they lost every Test of the rest of the WTC cycle from here.7Eng are cheating to win and going to very smug about it. I hope they lost every Test of the rest of the WTC cycle from here.Soorya Sesha@sooryasesha7The ball change has been significant but as Atherton mentions on air, the split-screen shows the rough side on the old one and the shiny side on the other. Can't draw a conclusion that one close to the old one was not chosen with that alone #Ashes2023 #ENGvAUS11The ball change has been significant but as Atherton mentions on air, the split-screen shows the rough side on the old one and the shiny side on the other. Can't draw a conclusion that one close to the old one was not chosen with that alone #Ashes2023 #ENGvAUSLouis Cameron@LouisDBCameronAussies batters playing and missing/false shot percentage in this innings:Before the ball change: 16%In the 10 overs after the ball change: 38%#Ashes82Aussies batters playing and missing/false shot percentage in this innings:Before the ball change: 16%In the 10 overs after the ball change: 38%#AshesRudi Edsall@RudiEdsallGenerally not one for conspiracy theories or woe is me stuff but this ball change feels like a genuine stitch up?834Generally not one for conspiracy theories or woe is me stuff but this ball change feels like a genuine stitch up?Daniel James Warren@Daniel_Warren08@RudiEdsall Definitely not a 40 over ball that’s for sure@RudiEdsall Definitely not a 40 over ball that’s for sureJustin Di Battista@jdibs12This ball change is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen in my years of watching cricket , it’s definitely not a like for like ball. What have the umpires done ? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/AGFQUgdxCBThis ball change is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen in my years of watching cricket , it’s definitely not a like for like ball. What have the umpires done ? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/AGFQUgdxCBstefre@SteveFreerThe cheating English get rewarded with a wicket due to a disgraceful ball change. “Spirit of the game” my arse. #Ashes #Ashes2332The cheating English get rewarded with a wicket due to a disgraceful ball change. “Spirit of the game” my arse. #Ashes #Ashes23Dan Liebke@LiebCricketAustralia fighting back strongly in the moral #Ashes thanks to a ball change. Didn’t expect them to show such fortitude but great to see.361Australia fighting back strongly in the moral #Ashes thanks to a ball change. Didn’t expect them to show such fortitude but great to see.Hazza@AzzurriLFCThe ball change pic.twitter.com/MAsdGg84Bk1The ball change pic.twitter.com/MAsdGg84BkZach Schloeffel@schleff63Pretty sure England's ball change voids this match, that's how it works right? #Ashes3Pretty sure England's ball change voids this match, that's how it works right? #AshesMatty J@Mattamotamus@cricketcomau that ball change from last night is an absolute joke, ball did nothing, and the umpires gave them almost a new rock, unbelievable48@cricketcomau that ball change from last night is an absolute joke, ball did nothing, and the umpires gave them almost a new rock, unbelievableSarah@SarahShah_85“Spirit of cricket” is for others not for England. Thats how it works. They can happily bury the spirit if it gives them a win. Umps are utter shit tbh. Should have picked a fairer ball or even seen if a ball change was even needed.#Ashes #ENGvAUS twitter.com/jchall22/statu…1“Spirit of cricket” is for others not for England. Thats how it works. They can happily bury the spirit if it gives them a win. Umps are utter shit tbh. Should have picked a fairer ball or even seen if a ball change was even needed.#Ashes #ENGvAUS twitter.com/jchall22/statu…Securitron.eth 🇦🇺⌐🆇-🆇@securitron_ethEngland just badgered the umpires into a ball change. Just worked on them for ages. Bazball is seemingly about finding new and inventive ways to cheat. Spirit of cricket my ass. Bad umpiring too though.21England just badgered the umpires into a ball change. Just worked on them for ages. Bazball is seemingly about finding new and inventive ways to cheat. Spirit of cricket my ass. Bad umpiring too though.Matt Dunn@MattDunn6130Put it this way, if this ball change happened with Australia in the field, the cheating convicts narrative would be blaring from the English rooftops. One way street this spirit of cricket. #Ashes236Put it this way, if this ball change happened with Australia in the field, the cheating convicts narrative would be blaring from the English rooftops. One way street this spirit of cricket. #Ashes23Anil Panesar@AnilPanesar@TheBarmyArmy Ball change is absolutely criminal, imagine if it was the other way round27@TheBarmyArmy Ball change is absolutely criminal, imagine if it was the other way roundcricketingview@cricketingviewInterestingly, its not the wearing wicket and uneven bounce which caused the trouble, but the changed ball. This one seems to be doing a bit more. And Woakes, to be fair, is a maestro in England.71Interestingly, its not the wearing wicket and uneven bounce which caused the trouble, but the changed ball. This one seems to be doing a bit more. And Woakes, to be fair, is a maestro in England.retired ICT fan@anubhav__tweetsironic that after all this "playing fair, playing within the spirit of the game" slogans throughout the series, England had to cheat in order to draw a home Ashes series pic.twitter.com/ja9xw4juC716637ironic that after all this "playing fair, playing within the spirit of the game" slogans throughout the series, England had to cheat in order to draw a home Ashes series pic.twitter.com/ja9xw4juC7Random Cricket Stats@randomcricstatMoral Ashes clincher twitter.com/cric_blog/stat…194Moral Ashes clincher twitter.com/cric_blog/stat…Prashant@Prashtk31Cheats of the highest order... talks about spirit of the game....I know these mfs will do every possible thing to draw a home ashes....The ball in right side looks ashes 19 dukes batch to me.... pic.twitter.com/z1cCEAOMtX112Cheats of the highest order... talks about spirit of the game....I know these mfs will do every possible thing to draw a home ashes....The ball in right side looks ashes 19 dukes batch to me.... pic.twitter.com/z1cCEAOMtXKelsinator@kelsinatorThe umpires choosing a 'similar' replacement ball yesterday... 🤦#ashes #Ashes23 #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/EYZEQjA2Tk466The umpires choosing a 'similar' replacement ball yesterday... 🤦#ashes #Ashes23 #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/EYZEQjA2TkVithushan Ehantharajah@Vitu_EJoel and Kumar when England want the ball changed #Ashes pic.twitter.com/xOzrmnmyIx864Joel and Kumar when England want the ball changed #Ashes pic.twitter.com/xOzrmnmyIxPointsBet Australia@PointsBet_AU“Yeah no dramas, this ball looks about 40 overs old” #Ashes pic.twitter.com/mYMDr1oLoa71“Yeah no dramas, this ball looks about 40 overs old” #Ashes pic.twitter.com/mYMDr1oLoaSam J@SamMFJShouldn't our Global Moral Arbiter Ben Stokes have refused to accept such a new ball, spirit of the game and all that?#Ashes #Ashes23 #ENGvsAUS186Shouldn't our Global Moral Arbiter Ben Stokes have refused to accept such a new ball, spirit of the game and all that?#Ashes #Ashes23 #ENGvsAUSkd bald spot@therealfakekd#Ashes23 #Ashes the new ball pic.twitter.com/ideLCbNkbf4#Ashes23 #Ashes the new ball pic.twitter.com/ideLCbNkbfDerek Smith@Canyoudigglet@RudiEdsall Just said this myself, genuinely don't know how that decision was made. Joel Wilson strikes again!@RudiEdsall Just said this myself, genuinely don't know how that decision was made. Joel Wilson strikes again!stefre@SteveFreerRule changes to give England a chance at actually winning an Ashes series. -Eng batsman can’t be runout when leaving the crease. -Extra days if the rain affects Eng chances of a win. -Eng allowed new ball every 20 overs.-Eng allowed “spirit of the game” wins.#Ashes23 #Ashes71Rule changes to give England a chance at actually winning an Ashes series. -Eng batsman can’t be runout when leaving the crease. -Extra days if the rain affects Eng chances of a win. -Eng allowed new ball every 20 overs.-Eng allowed “spirit of the game” wins.#Ashes23 #AshesGenerally, if a ball is damaged, its replacement must be like-for-like. But that is almost never the case. The fourth umpire comes out with a box of balls in different conditions and the one picked by the umpire, which they think is the closest, either helps the bowler more or makes it worse for the bowling team.Steve Smith and Travis Head carry on after ball change controversyDavid Warner was the first to go after the ball change, concluding his Ashes campaign with a well-made 60. After his 140-run partnership with Khawaja, Warner was drawn forward by a late out-swinger from Chris Woakes, which took his outside edge to Jonny Bairstow.Khawaja was out for 72 (145) soon after, off a delivery at a similar length but moving in the opposite direction, which rapped him on the pads. Mark Wood then got rid of Marnus Labuschagne with one that straightened from outside the off-stump after being angled in.Since then, Steve Smith and Travis Head have been battling through. The ball is still moving a lot but Head is looking to play his shots, while Smith, as always, is happy to forget the play-and-misses to keep going.