Horrible umpiring mistake leads to growing calls for DRS to be available for all WBBL games

The Strikers picked up their second win of the WBBL season, but the result was overshadowed by an umpiring howler.

The calls will grow louder for the third umpire and DRS to be in use at all WBBL matches after Rhys McKenna given out stumped in bizarre fashion during the Stars’ thrilling four-wicket loss to the Strikers.

The decision review system was brought in last season for 24 WBBL matches but the technology isn’t available for every game.

McKenna was the unlucky victim on Tuesday when she was given out when a Megan Schutt delivery ricocheted off wicketkeeper Bridget Patterson’s pads and on to the stumps.

It was a chaotic sequence but McKenna was still in her crease when the bail came off.

The decision would have been easily overturned if there was a third umpire available and the Stars English batter Maia Bouchier, who made an invaluable 48 for her team, said DRS was a must.

“100 per cent it should be,” she said after the loss.

“DRS is an important part of the game and we should be having that.”

The decision was labelled “ridiculous” in commentary but Kelly Appleby.

“Hang on, how is that out? That’s not out,” Appleby said.

“She is well and truly in her crease, wasn’t she? That is ridiculous.”

Melbourne Stars vs Adelaide Strikers, Rhys McKenna dismissal, Bridget Patterson stumping, cricket news, video pic.twitter.com/lbKekjviTG

— Cricket (@Cricketinfoedge) October 24, 2023

The DRS has already been invaluable this season.

Stars skipper Meg Lanning had a caught behind decision overturned in the first game against the Sixers which helped her post a half-century.

McKenna’s stumping wasn’t the only bizarre dismissal.

Patterson’s pads came in handy an over earlier when she stumped Alice Capsey in almost identical fashion.

Incredibly, the straightforward stumping came in the eighth over when the ambidextrous Jemma Barsby dismissed Annabel Sutherland with her right-arm off-spin having bowled the previous delivery left-handed.

The decision to give McKenna out could have changed the game given she had made 14 off four balls and could have easily bludgeoned a few more boundaries for the Stars.

The Strikers bounced back from a shock loss on Monday to beat the Stars for the second time in four days. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

TRENDSETTER

Lanning tried to buck the trend when she won the flip and decided to bat first but the change in tactics didn’t work when her side slumped to a second loss to the Strikers in four days.

In the first seven games of the season the winner of the bat flip sent the opposition in and the team batting first won every time.

The Stars hoped the different approach would bring a change in fortune but it didn’t make a difference.

Maia Bouchier (48 off 38) was the only batter to go on with it as the Stars were restricted to 6-133.

It was a marked improvement from Saturday night when they were rolled for 29, the lowest score in WBBL history.

However, it still wasn’t enough as the defending champions bounced back from a heavy defeat to the Renegades on Monday.

Katie Mack anchored the chase with a fluent 48 before Maddie Penna (28 not out) helped them over the line in the final over with two balls to spare.

Originally published as Horrible umpiring mistake leads to growing calls for DRS to be available for all WBBL games