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In a rain-hit match, which was reduced to a five-over game, the Thunder needed just three runs with 13 balls to spare and all ten wickets in hand. But bizarrely, the umpires, citing rain, stopped play and then later abandoned the match. (Screengrabs: X/7Cricket)
A Women’s Big Bash League game between the Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers was controversially called off by the umpires on Friday in Adelaide. In a rain-hit match, which was reduced to a five-over game, the Thunder needed just three runs with 13 balls to spare and all ten wickets in hand. But bizarrely, the umpires, citing rain, stopped play and then later abandoned the match.
The match had earlier already been reduced to five overs and the Thunder needed 46 runs to win. It was a chase that they looked set to make and were likely one hit away from winning the match, but were denied by some poor game management.
One of the commentators working on the game said that there wasn’t a drop of rain taking place and that the Thunder were denied a clear win by the umpires.
“That is an utter embarrassment what has taken place here. There is not a drop of rain at the moment and that game was within a whisker of being determined. The result was completely clear and the Sydney Thunder were robbed of a victory… I think that’s the plainest way to say it,” said former Australian cricketer Callum Ferguson, who was at the match as a commentator.
It was a frustrating end to a game, especially considering a majority of it was played with a light drizzle playing on in the background. The commentators also pointed out that the drizzle was lesser than other moments in the game where despite a higher volume of rain falling, umpires chose to continue with the game.
Chasing 45, Phoebe Litchfield smashed five boundaries off Darcie Brown’s second over to get the Thunder to 35 off just two overs. But just as it seemed like that effort would reap its rewards, the game was called off, leaving Thunder supporters and players confused.
English (US) ·