Peter Handscomb caught up in divisive cricket moment during Sheffield Shield clash
The former Aussie test batter was involved in a bizarre Sheffield Shield moment.
Peter Handscomb has left the commentators absolutely stunned after pulling out of a delivery at the last second as the ball crashed into the stumps during a Sheffield Shield game. Handscomb came in at 2/32 as Queensland sent Victoria into bat on day one of the cricket clash.
And early in his innings, Handscomb lined-up to face a ball with Jack Wildermuth charging in. And as Wildermuth released the ball, Handscomb stood back from the delivery as a bird swooped and was in his eye-line.
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The distraction was clearly enough to put the Victorian batter off. However, the ball went crashing into the top of off-stump.
"What is going on. It's gone straight into the stumps," the commentator said after the unusual moment. "Something has clearly distracted Handscomb. I have never seen someone pull away so late."
After seeing the replay with the bird swooping across the pitch, the other commentator added: "I wonder if that's too late?" The Queensland team showed their sportsmanship and swiftly accepted Handscomb's explanation as he gestured at what happened.
The umpire deemed it a dead-ball. While there was little commotion on the pitch, cricket fans were left divided over the incident. Many felt Handscomb ducked out of the way much too late.
That should have been given out.
— Lubana Warriors (@LovepreetS49) November 16, 2023
The ball had pretty much left his hand already.
— Kevin Le'Neal (@LeAntagonist) November 16, 2023
That’s surely unacceptably late, surely.
— Benji Slater (@bennymcslats) November 16, 2023
Surely this is out. Way too late to leave it..
— Hannah (@hclaire29) November 16, 2023
That’s out, you can’t do that. Tell ya story walking sunshine
— Rhyno (@rhynotakes) November 16, 2023
Handscomb has gone on to make 41 runs off 120 balls alongside opener Marcus Harris. Former test batter Will Pucovski was out early for five runs with Travis Dean falling cheaply for one.
Handscomb recently returned to the Australian test side in India with Australia going down 2-1 in a thrilling series. He was not taken to England for the Ashes, where Australia retained the urn after a 2-2 draw.
Cricket world divided over bizarre delivery
A similar incident occurred this year in Australia. Commentators questioned whether Australia were wrongly denied a wicket against Pakistan in the third women's ODI back in January when Nida Dar was bowled by a delivery that was deemed a dead ball.
The talking point after the third game was the bizarre scenes in which Dar pulled away from a delivery well after it left Tahlia McGrath's hand, letting the ball cannon into her stumps. The ball was halfway down the pitch when Dar decided to pull out, leaving players and commentators stunned.
Umpire Claire Polosak deemed the delivery a dead ball and the Aussies didn't argue due to the lop-sided scoreline, but many questioned whether the correct call was made. Umpires will only typically allow a batter to pull out of a delivery if they do so before it has left the bowler's hand.
“I was always under the impression that when you were in your stance and tapped your bat down, you were ready to accept the delivery,” former Australia captain Rachael Haynes said in commentary for Fox Cricket. “Nida Dar needs to be a bit careful there.”
On Channel 7, Lisa Sthalekar said "that was really late", while Trent Copeland added: "That's out."
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