'There's no way': Fans in shock over 'unbelievable' Aussie cricket moment
Commentators couldn’t believe what they were seeing on Saturday in the Sheffield Shield when Tasmania were denied what appeared to be an absolutely plumb lbw shout.
Test opener Joe Burns wasted no time in steering Queensland to a 10-wicket win over Tasmania on day three, after the visitors had finally showed some resistance with the bat.
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Chasing only 58 runs for victory, the Bulls reached the target in just 10 overs on Sunday at the Gabba, as Burns thrashed an unbeaten 46 off 35 balls with six fours and one six.
However there were bizarre scenes late on Saturday when Tasmania’s Charlie Wakim was given an inexplicable reprieve.
Mark Steketee wrapped Wakim on the pads directly in front of middle stump - the ball appearing to be destined to crash into the pegs.
Steketee was so confident that he didn’t even bother to appeal, however the umpire somehow kept his finger down.
“Oh wow,” one commentator said of the umpire’s decision.
“How do you not give that out? Honestly. That is just unbelievable.
“The umpire could only have thought he got a bit of bat on that but there’s no way he did.
“That would have hit middle and leg. Goodness me. If you don’t give that out you can’t give any of them out.
“That was absolutely plumb. I don’t get that.”
Fans were equally perplexed.
Where’s the plum emoji?
— Katherine Brunt (@KBrunt26) February 16, 2020
How on Earth can that be called not out!😒
— Muntasir Efaz (@EfazMuntasir) February 15, 2020
Is the standard of umpiring particularly poor in Australian domestic cricket at the moment? Seems like a lot of these videos doing the rounds from SS & BBL!
— Cricket Fans Forum (@forum_cricket) February 15, 2020
That has to be up there with the worst decisions of all time.
— Steven (@coxysplanet) February 15, 2020
The standard of umpiring appears to be disgraceful in domestic cricket!
— Luke Phillip (@Lukey_Hall) February 15, 2020
In fairness, it was missing off & probably leg stump as well.. pic.twitter.com/HAcJsUrk7M
— Dog & Under (@Luke_Pownall) February 15, 2020
As plumb as it gets
— Mark Alvey (@alvey5) February 15, 2020
To be fair, it was missing off and leg stump.
— Dazza_20 (@Dazza_20) February 15, 2020
Queensland romp to easy victory
Queensland leapfrogged Western Australia to second spot with their fourth victory of the Shield season, which resumed after the Big Bash League.
The Bulls were set the paltry target after eventually ending the Tigers' rearguard effort with the bat, bowling the visitors out for 236 in their second dig on the stroke of tea.
Beau Webster was the last man to fall, bowled by Cameron Gannon for a 57-ball 50 with one four and two sixes.
It was a gutsy fightback by the Tigers who were reeling on Saturday at 3-0.
Ben McDermott survived a hat-trick ball from Michael Neser on day two to launch the recovery, finally falling for 69 in Sunday's middle session.
It ended a 53-run sixth-wicket stand with Test and Tigers skipper Tim Paine after only one wicket fell in Sunday's morning session.
The Australian captain tried to press on and post a competitive target after the Bulls ended McDermott's 189-ball knock, which featured nine boundaries.
However, he was caught behind off Test hopeful Neser (3-48) for 61 in the middle session as the Bulls closed in on victory.
Besides Neser, who finished with seven wickets for the match, Steketee (3-62) and Jack Wildermuth (2-40) also impressed with the ball in the second innings.
Tasmania resumed on Sunday at 4-72.
The Bulls were in command after routing Tasmania for 78 in their first dig - their third-lowest Shield total - before skipper Usman Khawaja's patient 56 and a wagging tail led the hosts to 257 in reply.
"We got off to a really bad start. It's a long way back after being bowled out for 78," Paine said.
"It's a difficult place to play. And it was a bloody good toss to win - let's not hide away from that.
"But Queensland are a high-quality first-class team and we will take a lot from it."
with AAP