The cricketing world is shattered by ‘wacky’ scenes
The Brisbane Heat pulled off an upset by overthrowing the Sydney Sixers on Thursday night at SCG.
Chasing a rather modest tally, things seemed to be falling apart for the Heat before Michael Neser guided the ship into a winning position as they cruised to victory by four wickets.
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Demanding 117 runs for the win, the Sixers appeared to be in complete control to defend the total as the Heat fell to 5/56 after 10 overs.
That brought Neser to the crease that put the Sixers on edge as he looted balls all around the floor.
The experienced star produced a masterful run to finish undefeated on 48 runs on 32 deliveries to guide the Heat home.
The Brisbane Heat will now face the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash decider on Saturday.
It was earlier in the night, however, when cricket fans lost their minds as a umpire howler played.
Sixers fly-half Josh Philippe was facing spin bowling from Matt Kuknemann when a ball slammed into the bat and appeared to grazed his leg before ending up in the hands of goaltenders.
The Heat opted to send the moment upstairs with Philippe initially given unreleased.
The third referee went through his process of watching replays over and over again before determining that the ball had grazed Philippe’s glove and not the pad. He then sent it back to the referee on the field to stand by his original decision.
But that’s where the confusion set in when the Heat protested that wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson kept the ball. Forcing the third umpire into an embarrassing overhaul before finally giving the Sixers game opener caught behind.
Watch the chaotic moment unfold in the video player above
Cricket fans didn’t bite their tongues as they discussed the timing of what is one of the biggest matches on the calendar.
Journalist Mark Gottlieb wrote: “Wacky scenes here. Luckily the right result at the end, but damn it, they took the long way to get there.
Sportswriter Liam Warren wrote: “Look at the call at the end but they went back to the umpire on the field a bit quickly because signaling not only for him to go upstairs to then reverse the decision is a bit messy.”
Todd Lewis of The Advertiser wrote, “This was one of the most bizarre DRS failures I have ever seen. I thought they were really going to make the wrong decision out of complete incompetence. But they finally got there. »
Things only got worse for the Sixers after skipper Moises Henriques was sent off twice later.
Kuknemann struck again sending a ball into the pads, this time there was no doubt it was LBW.
“It’s as plump as you’ll ever see it,” Waugh said.
“It’s absolutely dead.”
Without Steve Smith in the batting lineup, the Sixers completely crumbled in their biggest game of the season.
The Heat put their foot down early and never gave up as the innings ended with the Sixers managing a modest 9/116.
The cricketing world is shattered by ‘wacky’ scenes
