Watch: A dubious decision off the last ball helped the Melbourne Stars beat the Sydney Sixers in the WBBL 2023/24 opener.
Melbourne Stars were called to bat at North Sydney Oval and had a record of 165 wins and 8 losses. Meg Lanning top-scored with a 34-ball 55. But after they lost, Lauren Cheatle (2-37) and Ash Gardner (2-23) made sure the result wasn’t insurmountable for their star players.
Since then, the Sydney Sixers have gone 71-6, with Gardner at the helm. Gardner (72 off 44 balls) along with Maitlan Brown (35 off 22 balls) he added 84 for 7 wickets and the Sixers needed eight runs from the final over with the bowling of his capsey.
As he bowled around the wicket, Capsey’s line was well off the left-handed Cheatle, but Cheatle swung and missed. The ball was dangerously close to the marks at both ends helping the umpire, if not on the wrong side.
However, the referee did not go that far. Non-striker Lindsey Smith sprinted for a bye. Cheat’s late reaction cost them runs, but did little to help the Sixers other than a slight improvement in net run rate.
Watch the dubious non-wide call that ended the WBBL 2023/24 opener:
It’s not a wide and the Stars get home! Quite the finish at North Sydney Oval 👀 #WBBL09 pic.twitter.com/DgRKBdcCcX
– cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) 19. 2023 年 10 月
This decision certainly did not amuse Lisa Stareker.
Hmm 🧐 you tell me!!! https://t.co/3Q1n2rJSi2
– Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) 19. October 2023
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