‘Extraordinary’: BBL’s ‘wrong batter’ controversy stuns cricket world

The Brisbane Heat have secured a house qualifying last after pulling off a 23-run win within the prime of the desk conflict in opposition to the Perth Scorchers.

A win for the Scorchers would have taken the consequence right down to the ultimate fixtures however the unbeaten Heat’s dominant season has continued in opposition to the perennial powerhouse from Perth.

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But a weird scene in Heat’s batting innings had commentators and followers alike scratching their heads when Marnus Labuschagne and Sam Billings went to the mistaken ends after the ten over break.

After shedding the early wickets of Usman Khawaja and Colin Munro, Labuschagne set about rescuing the innings.

The lack of Matthew Renshaw on the finish of the ninth over left new batter Billings but to face a ball on the midway mark of the innings after Labuschagne confronted the whole tenth over, earlier than hitting a single off the final ball.

It ought to imply that Labuschagne retained the strike, however that’s not the way it turned out on subject with Billings going through up for the primary ball of the eleventh over.

After getting off the mark with a single, Labuschagne then guided the ball off Lance Morris straight via to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis.

But it didn’t escape followers that Labuschagne ought to have confronted the primary ball, which Billings bunted with gentle palms to level.

Mark Howard and the Fox Cricket commentary staff instantly jumped on the difficulty.

“I think it may be a controversial dismissal when the videotape’s looked back at Gilly,” Howard stated.

Adam Gilchrist replied: “Yeah, what we think, Marnus with the second ball of the Morris over, previous delivery Billings scored a single, the last ball of the over prior to that Marnus scored a single.

“So Marnus should have been on strike for the first ball of the over. It’s what we can recollect.

“Clearly it’s not going to hold up the game now, they’re just going to move on.

“So Marnus scored a single off the last ball of the 10th over. They had drinks and came back out. Sam Billings faced the next ball when Marnus should have been facing. He gets a single and Marnus is out next ball.

“Extraordinary events.”

Aaron Finch added that the Heat had gone possible a batter mild with Michael Neser batting at No. 7.

Gilchrist stated finally it wouldn’t change the scorebook and that Labuschagne was out.

But whereas Finch believed the Heat went in a batter brief, Neser saved the day for the Heat who have been 5/91 when he got here to the crease.

A 30-ball 64 not out together with seven fours and three sixes together with a cameo of 37 off 21 from Billings obtained the Heat to six/191 from their 20 overs.

The weird scenes didn’t escape social media nonetheless.

One fan requested: “How does this happen?” whereas one other referred to as it “poor stuff”.

Coming per week after a 3rd umpire hit the mistaken button on a DRS name, one other fan stated: “Just BBL things”.

Another incredulously requested: “Wrong batter started that over on strike?” whereas a easy “Far out” spoke for lots of followers on-line.

Despite the confusion, Neser continued to star with ball in hand, taking 2/31 from his 4 overs in addition to a diving catch to dismiss Inglis and put a close to deadly dent within the Scorchers’ chase.

A quickfire 29-ball 51 from grasp blaster Laurie Evans threatened to get Perth again within the recreation however with companions dropping on the different finish, it was a bridge too far because the Scorchers fell 23-runs brief.

Originally revealed as ‘Extraordinary’: BBL’s ‘wrong batter’ controversy stuns cricket world

Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au