It was the third ball of the BBL innings at the MCG last night with the Brisbane Heat bash twins Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn chasing the Melbourne Stars’ 142 for victory.
And there were 35,000 in stands gobsmacked at what was to follow.
Lynn clubbed James Faulkner straight to Stars skipper John Hastings at mid-off – a regulation out and a great start in the first over for the Stars.
But Hastings made a meal of it, and despite five futile attempts to complete the catch, it was on the deck.
The score was 0-0 at the time, but it took 101 runs with 11 fours and five maximums before the Stars claimed their first wicket – McCullum out for 61 off just 30 with seven fours, and three sixes.
That was the only wicket to fall as Lynn and Joe Burns passed the Stars 7-141 with 32 deliveries up their sleeve. Total carnage. Lynn finished with an unbeaten 63 of 46 to match McCullum with seven fours and three sixes, while Burns finished with 18 off 12 with three fours.
There’s no greater sight than McCullum and Lynn in full flight and no worse sight for the Stars when they should have been parted with zero on the board. Hastings would have swallowed that 99 times out of 100 it was so straightforward.
(AAP Image/Dan Peled)
The loss was the Stars’ third from three, which is impossible to understand with their line-up of such talent as Luke Wright, Ben Dunk, Kevin Pietersen, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Rob Quiney, James Faulkner, John Hastings, Adam Zampa, Liam Bowe and Michael Beer.
Their highlight was Maxwell cracking 50 with only two trick shots that produced nothing, concentrating on playing every other ball on its merit. He was caught at long on trying for a second maximum to go with his five fours.
But he was more responsible, even though the majority of his shot-making wasn’t right out of the sweet spot. He did enough to make sure he’s selected in the Australian squad for the five ODIs.
But the honours went to Heat leggies Mitchell Swepson and Yasir Shah. Despite the defendable 141 the Stars set with the bat, Swepson bowled his four overs to claim 3/14 and the man of the match award with his nagging accuracy, superbly supported by Yasir’s 1-16 off his four.
And even though the Heat won by the length of the straight, Stars leggie Zampa went for 28 runs off his four, and 20-year-old left-arm chinaman Liam Bowe, who has yet to play first-class cricket of any description, went for 14 off his two.
The rest of the Stars attack went for double figures an over, so the two slowies can take a big bow.
Not often does one delivery change the course of a game, but there’s no doubt the catch John Hastings dropped off the third ball of the innings did just that.
Don Freo
Guest
The results tell a different story.
ChrisB
Guest
Sounds like a weird Aussie Rules-based obsession with local players & 1-team player loyalty. In more worldly places and codes no one cares. Professionals will give their all and want to win if they like their teammates, the team culture & vibe and buy into the place whether they grew up there or not
Bakkies
Guest
Warne dropping a waist high catch off Pietersen at the Oval in 2005 ended up costing Australia 148 runs and a chance of retaining the Ashes.
Internal Fixation
Guest
Don - I generally agree with your post and sentiment. In my opinion the teams should be built on “local” or Shield players for the state. The few imports need to add value and not be old hangers on. However, at the end of the day BBL is largely about casual fans and even more so the casual TV fan. So there has to be some “star” power as I think a fair few people will turn off if there isn’t the odd Gayle, B Mac, KP (from 3-4 years ago) type involved. The Scorchers have done very well not going down this road this year but there is a need to generate crowds, tv numbers and therefore revenue for CA. Remember this was non existent as a revenue stream 10 years ago! The Strikers have not had the success of the Sorchers, but by no means have been duds every year. With their 4-5 locals they are also undefeated this season. Also, if Siddle is not wanted by a Vic team for T20 why can’t he go elsewhere? Agar was not wanted by Victoria after u/19 and went to WA. So my comment reflects that whilst team success is one thing, unfortunately we have to recognise the entertainment component of BBL. At the end of the day I much prefer test and Odi cricket and haven’t made a BBL match yet this year but am happy that it keeps CA afloat.
Don Freo
Guest
My comment that led to this thread speaks only about why some teams play better than other teams. A couple of you seem to want to make a comment about chanting crowds. I don't get why they are attached to my comments. Maybe you are just reading one phrase...not the post.
JGK
Roar Guru
If Haddin catches Joe Root early on Day 1 on the 2015 Ashes series we win that series. And who did Smith drop in India earlier this year that probably cost as the series there? Was it Pujara?
Bman
Guest
Just had a look at the Australian Mens fixture - the first international 20/20 is the day after the BBL second semi and the day before the final !?! So the selectors are just going to pull out all of the best talent from the BBL finals series. Thats terrible planning....
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I reckon Lordy might have trouble adjusting to the speed the balls come of the massive modern bats..
Pedro the Maroon
Guest
I thought the Duke might have been concussed after that sickening hit to the head when he batted. No surprises that he was out the very next ball.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Implying that some fans are better than others, and this inherent snobbery that they’re not ‘real’ cricket fans is precisely the sort of attitude soccer snobs routinely get crucified for holding. Makes no sense either. It’s not like test cricket fans get shaken down for more money than your family wearing buckets of chicken on their head along for their once a year cricket match. Anyone who sneers at fans who only go to BBL games can be disregarded as a crank.
Don Freo
Guest
Yep...That's the argument. Keep changing the team and cricket fans have no one to connect with. I am not talking about numbers. Many that turn up to BBL are only interested in responding to basketball chants or "Cooeee!". I'm talking about caring about cricket and cricketers...not the Americanized silliness. No cricket fans wants that.
Internal Fixation
Guest
Don Freo “I don’t care about ‘crowd success’. That’s your irrelevant addition to this conversation.” Would you say that to me at the pub. I don’t think so.. so who started the aggro? Don Freo “The Sydney and Melbourne sides are failing because they have no one anyone cares about” So crowds and fan engagement aren’t part of your argument? You must be on another level
Don Freo
Guest
The aggro is coming from you. Surely you can live with alternate views. I put an argument, you change the subject, I re-affirm my argument...you call names. Hmmm!
Internal Fixation
Guest
Easy to sell out 20000 seats as well. And Johnson, Klinger and a few others are NOT WA - duh
Internal Fixation
Guest
“Irrelevant” Have some respect Don. It’s a conversation - not the dictatorship of Kim Don Ill You mentioned parochial which implies crowd and fan engagement and involvement. No wonder you are Billy no mates on here....
Johnno
Guest
Don's comments on Scorchers and their local talent....looking for locals to build the side around is interesting. And yes, I include both Klinger & Johnson as locals because they live here. It is a bit of the chicken and the egg. WA under Langer put in place a program in Perth that has focused on identifying and developing talent. A bit like our Test side is as strong as the Shield competition. It has taken 5 years to get to this point. And now people like Brad Hodge complain about it. WA is now reaping the rewards of the program with young talent coming through in what seems to be never ending numbers. It was interesting reading an article I think where Stoinis talked about the unbelievable atmosphere in the WA dressing room, where players are really comfortable talking openly & honestly between themselves and the coaching staff. Its not just the WA selectors picking the local talent, it looks very much like the local players don't want to go anywhere else....they like playing for WA. And WA supporters like that too. Brad Hodge shouldn't raise questions about WA using local talent and having 1 team etc., he should raise questions with Cricket Victoria.
Don Freo
Guest
How many players do you think make up a team? There are a few more cricketers in NSW than that. NSW has 6, WA has 4...while NSW has 8 times the population.
Don Freo
Guest
I don't care about 'crowd success'. That's your irrelevant addition to this conversation. The article and my original comment is about playing performnance. The Scorchers have been a sellout every game in their existence so you make no point anyway. As for Johnson and Klinger, who else have they played for in their past 5 years? The Scorchers have 9 first picked players out right now...all West Australians...and have replaced them with West Australians while remaining undefeated. Klinger, BTW, has only played 2 games this BBL. Why can't states with 8 times the population follow the template for success? You don't mount much of an argument.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The Stars are in a lot of trouble at 0-3. They need to start winning in a hurry - and it's not a dropped catch that lost them the match last night. Woeful batting performance.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Not sure you can treat any catch dropped by Pakistan during that tour as dropped on its merits