It was so close and yet so far for Queensland in a drama-charged final session when bad light robbed them of a Sheffield Shield victory against NSW with three overs remaining.
The Bulls openers needed 26 runs to win from the final five overs at Sydney’s Drummoyne Oval, with victory seeming a formality.
Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw polished off 10 of them in two overs before the umpires took the players off due to the light reading at 6:34pm (AEDT).
A furious Bulls captain Usman Khawaja came onto the field to ask the umpires why they could not continue as the Blues players swiftly made their way to their dressing room delighted to have secured a draw.
The bails were flicked off the stumps by umpires Greg Davidson and Simon Lightbody minutes later to bring an end to an extraordinary day’s play.
When Bulls legspinner Mitch Swepson (5-113) removed Nathan Lyon to dismiss the Blues for 256, victory had appeared assured.
Bulls allrounder Michael Neser summed up the mood in the camp.
“It is not the result we wanted. We fought so hard throughout the game,” he said.
“We were so close to that win. If we could have (bowled NSW out) a couple of overs sooner, it might have been a different result.”
NSW batter Moises Henriques was left stranded on 99 after featuring in two match-saving stands.
“We were just doing our best to stay out there for as long as we could,” Henriques said of his resistance.
Henriques and Matthew Gilkes (48) batted through most of the first two sessions, which included a break for rain, in a 112-run stand.
With Henriques at the crease, the Blues went to tea on 5-211 before the game took a roller coaster turn.
Bulls pacemen Neser and Mark Steketee then captured 3-2 in the space of 12 deliveries with Joe Burns taking two diving catches at slip and wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson snaring one of his own to remove Sean Abbott (5), Baxter Holt (0) and Ben Dwarshius (0).
Chris Tremain (5 off 68 balls) combined with Henriques to hold up the Bulls for 27 overs in a 39-run ninth-wicket stand that was ultimately decisive.
Earlier the Blues had made 246 in their first innings and the Bulls replied with 6-477 declared on the back of big scores by opener Matt Renshaw (200) and allrounder Neser (136).
Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne of the Bulls show their frustration as they speak to Nathan Lyon of the Blues. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Stokes slams ‘stupid’ oversized ‘Toblerone’ markers after quick’s injury
Ben Stokes has criticised the “stupid” size of cricket’s boundary marking sponges after they caused Reece Topley’s injury which ruled him out of England’s T20 World Cup.
During a fielding drill before England’s final warm-up against Pakistan at Brisbane on Monday, Topley suffered ligament damage to his left ankle after stepping on a padded cushion and landing awkwardly.
The left-arm seamer had been set for a pivotal role in Australia but will now return home to the UK after England’s tournament opener against Afghanistan at Perth on Saturday.
It is a cruel blow and – according to Stokes – an entirely avoidable one, for a player who has bounced back from multiple stress fractures in his back that threatened to derail his career.
Commonly referred to as ‘Toblerones’ due to their triangular prism shapes, the foam sponges present an advertising opportunity and have become widespread instead of a traditional rope around the ground.
But as they measure around 20cm in height and width, England Test captain Stokes feels the dimensions could be addressed to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
“It’s stupid. Unfortunately, it’s taken one of our players to be ruled out of the World Cup (to make people notice),” he said.
“I’m pretty sure it’s something they can look at but you know what it’s like – everybody wants to get their names on somewhere.
“But you look at player safety and the fact he’s stood on it and it’s ruptured ligaments and now he’s out of the World Cup – it should be looked at. I’m devastated for him.
“We are all just absolutely gutted for him that he’s missed out on this World Cup because he would have been one of the first names on the team sheet.”
It is understood the England and Wales Cricket Board is not intending to raise the issue to the International Cricket Council.
England white-ball captain Jos Buttler told BBC Sport: “We practice around the boundary a lot to try and get used to it. I don’t see it as any more than a freak accident.”
Topley’s isn’t the only boundary rope-related mishap to occur at the World Cup to date, with UAE batter Aayan Afzal Khan tripping over the ‘Toblerones’ walking off after being dismissed against the Netherlands.
SDRedsFan
Roar Rookie
It was only 5.34pm on the QLD players watches too Pauly - there's no way it could be getting that dark using REAL time. I'll be interested to see what the scribes at The Betoota Advocate have to say about this. They'll be ropeable out there. Just another example of why daylight savings will never get up in QLD.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Maybe to encourage more aggressive cricket?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
How do they get 2 points each? Has something changed? It's a draw, not a tie.
Rellum
Roar Guru
There was no assurance of a result. 16 runs off 18 balls in a Shield match is not the same as the same scenario in a limited overs match. No feilding restrictions, dull light obviously, a 4th day wicket and wides that are actual old school wides . A Qld win would be the likely result, but a dot ball or two and the pressure would be right on. Qld weren't scoring quickly despite going for it in the first two overs.
Marty
Roar Rookie
Oh boohoo, if the shoe was on the other foot Uzzie would have grabbed those 2 points without a second thought. No point getting upset at the umpires, all they were doing was following the rules. From what the commentators were saying play had ceased by that time on the previous 2 days due to bad light.
Simoc
Roar Rookie
Hopelessly incompetent umpiring. They are to dumb to be taking money. Just gross stupidity from the fools that are chosen to umpire. Zero common sense.
DTM
Roar Rookie
No amount of favourable decisions will help NSW or Victoria this season. The two strongest cricket states are WA and Queensland and they will play off in the SS final.
DTM
Roar Rookie
Hang in there Jeff. It's not all doom and gloom.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
And the three controversial decisions that went Victoria's way against WA. It's not just NSW that has favour in the umpiring ranks. It's an anti-anti-daylight saving agenda.
Ad-O
Guest
Bad light rules seem to change every season. I was under the impression it's the umpire that offers bad light and it's up to the batting side to accept or decline the offer.
Ad-O
Guest
Australian cricket making favourable decisions for NSW?!? Whooda thunk it....??
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Wonder how NSW would have reacted if a similar situation occurred to them at the Gabba? You don't need to wonder. You just have to recall the squealing and toy-throwing after they lost that LO game against the Vics a month ago.
JGK
Roar Guru
Maybe if Renshaw hadn’t spent all of day 2 scoring 85 runs they would have had more time to get the win. And NSW couldn’t have agreed to play on, even if they had wanted to. The decision is entirely with the umpire.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
It was the walking off before the call as l saw it which was weak by NSW and then the bad light call by the umps.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
No wonder all the other states have a common dislike for the arrogance & self entitlement of NSW. As there were only 3 overs remaining & a result assured within that time parameter, the “unbiased” NSW umpires should have applied the commonsense rule & if the batsmen were prepared to play on, they should have permitted the inevitable & well deserved Queensland victory to occur. Queensland have been denied 4 points & NSW “gifted” 2. Wonder how NSW would have reacted if a similar situation occurred to them at the Gabba? I’m guessing we would never hear the end of it. That’s the difference between the way sport is played in opposite sides of the Tweed.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Exactly Matty. Have a fecking biscuit and go out as soon as it clears. I'm sure Marny was ready to stuff his pockets with contraband sandwiches and get out there. Still, Qld denied by twilight robbery. Very brave of them to continue in the unfamiliar environment of daylight saving.
ColinT
Roar Rookie
The bad light rule needs to be amended to give umpires some discretion when the batsmen request play to continue. Having said that, it was arrogant and poor sportsmanship for NSW to preempt the umpires decision in the way they walked off. Although a Victorian, I think it was pretty stiff on Queensland.
Luka Nowitzki
Roar Rookie
That's actually pathetic from the umpires and NSW. They looked like they were walking off before a decision had even been made. I'd expect a lot more from them if they weren't all from NSW. Standard bad sports from NSW Cricket.
Jb
Guest
Time and time again you show you have no idea what you're talking about
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
I do like the new NSW shirts. It's so apt that the blue is so faded....