'Infuriated me': Controversy rocks Sheffield Shield final

The Sheffield Shield final between New South Wales and Queensland was rocked by two controversial decision on the opening day.

Defending champions NSW had been been restricted to 2-54 at lunch on the opening day against Queensland in Brisbane.

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After winning the toss, the Blues made a cautious start with the bat at Allan Border Field but still lost Matthew Gilkes for six and fellow opener Daniel Hughes (19) just before the interval.

But it was the controversial wicket of Hughes that had players and commentators confused.

Hughes was caught behind, but it appeared bowler Jack Wildermuth may have stepped over the line.

Replays showed the call was touch-and-go, but the commentators were not convinced.

“That’s not out for me,” Darren Berry said on Fox Sports.

“There’s got to be something behind the line men, surely.”

Former Aussie cricketer Andrew Symonds felt for Hughes.

“Tell you what, he won’t want to see that (replay) until he’s calmed down," Symonds said.

“It’s really touch and go isn’t it,” Darren Lehmann added.

Abbott survives identical incident in Shield final

But following lunch, Sean Abbott was given the benefit of the doubt on a near identical incident.

Abbott was caught in the slips, but the umpire deemed it was a no-ball upon the replays and Abbott returned to the crease.

This prompted an angry Usman Khawaja to ask the umpire if a series of close calls had impacted his decisions.

“You’re saying he hasn’t bowled a no ball yet?” Khawaja asked.

“I don’t want him to be stepping over and you not calling them and he doesn’t know.”

Regardless, Berry said there was no excuse for the bowlers to be getting that close to a no ball.

“It infuriated me,” he said during the tea break.

“Just stay behind the line. It’s pretty simple.”

While IPL duties have ensured NSW will be without Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, David Warner and Moises Henriques, Brisbane will still host a Shield final boasting a total of 14 players with international experience.

Queensland are undefeated in their last three clashes at the venue and will be quietly confident of securing Shield title No.9 and first since 2017-18.

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