- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Yet more umpiring controversy has dogged one of the major games of the Australian cricketing summer, as Victoria claimed a trio of Twenty20 titles in beating Western Australia by 32 runs at Perth’s WACA Ground today.
With Australia’s Test series against India already mired in claims of racism and gamesmanship, it was the Warriors who bore the brunt of some questionable decisions as they floundered in their pursuit of Victoria’s 8-203.
In-form WA opener Luke Ronchi was dismissed first ball by an Adam Crosthwaite catch which TV replays suggested may have bounced before it entered the wicketkeeper’s gloves.
With no third umpire employed, umpires Ian Lock and Bruce Oxenford had no choice but to accept Crosthwaite’s word – while the keeper had to accept the boos which came his way for the rest of the day.
They only got louder as WA’s innings failed to recover, with David Bandy also appearing unlucky to be adjudged run out.
But by then WA hopes had gone and they were eventually dismissed for 171 despite Shaun Marsh’s stylish 86.
The controversy took the gloss off an otherwise polished Victorian performance which confirmed their stranglehold on the Twenty20 format.
And while David Hussey again displayed his all-round ability with 38 runs, two wickets and two run outs, Aiden Blizzard’s brutal early hitting was worthy of his man-of-the-match award.
Blizzard smashed 47 off just 20 balls, including four sixes in one Danny McLauchlan over which cost him 28 runs and nightmares in the years ahead.
The brutal treatment of the WA quick’s second over would have done nothing to ease the pain of an apparent groin injury the bowler picked up in his first.
Two sixes from the first two balls were followed by a dot ball, which apparently angered Blizzard into striking one of the the biggest sixes ever seen at the ground.
The midwicket swipe cleared the grassed spectator bank by yards, eventually landing on the roof of the marquee erected near the practice wickets well over 100m away.
A fourth maximum in the over followed and a fifth was only inches away as McLauchlan hobbled from the ground with 37 taken off his first 12 balls.
After an opening stand of 69 in just 32 balls, WA took wickets in the three successive overs – including Aaron Heal having Blizzard stumped – to just about kept the Bushrangers in range.
And although Bandy ensured endless TV replays with an unbelievable one handed catch to dismiss Rob Quiney, late hitting from Rob Hastings and Shane Harwood finished the Vics innings in the same way it started.
WA’s disastrous start got worse when skipper Adam Voges skied a catch to Hussey, and when Luke Pomersbach was bowled by Bryce McGain’s first ball which kept low, the Warriors knew lady luck was not with them.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.