Ellyse Perry admits she’s never seen anything like the pitch-running crackdown at the World T20
Star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry says she’s never seen anything like it before at a major tournament, with umpires stealing the spotlight with an over-the-top rule crackdown.
Australian gun all-rounder Ellyse Perry said she had never seen the likes of it as umpires at the Women’s World T20 staged a brutal crackdown on batters running down the wicket.
During two matches played at Providence Stadium in Guyana yesterday three players were penalised for moving into the protected area of the wicket after playing shots, with Pakistan copping a 10-run penalty for two breaches.
Australia thumped cricket minnow Ireland to win their second match of the tournament — by nine wickets and with 65 balls to spare.
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Alyssa Healy continued her golden form with the bat, posting a World T20 record half century, with her 50 off 21 balls also the second fastest in history. The record is 18 balls, owned by Sophie Devine.
Healy was not out on 56 (off 31 balls) while Perry, earlier brilliant with the ball in taking 2-12, was unbeaten on nine as the Aussies swamped Ireland’s poor total of 93 in the 10th over.
Ireland captain Laura Delany was reprimanded by the umpires, with her team penalised five runs, after she appeared to take just three steps down the wicket.
The Australia players were told by the umpires pre-game to protect the pitch and captain Meg Lanning reinforced the message before their batting innings.
They did not receive a penalty or warning during the game.
“I’ve never played in a tournament where this has been, I guess, a key issue,” Perry said.
“It seems to be in the first couple of matches and that’s completely fine, that’s within the rules of cricket. It’s something they’re paying particular attention to.
“I wonder if, to a degree, that’s also got to do with the fact we’re playing a lot of games on these wickets and we probably need to be really mindful of looking after them.”
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Perry said she didn’t expect it to be an ongoing issue as players would now be very aware of the imperative to protect the wicket.
“It’s a lot of runs,” she said of the five-run penalty.
“I know it’s probably caused a bit of a stir tonight because we just haven’t seen it before.
“Normally in any tournament there’s sort of a directive from the umpires about a few key things they’re focusing on …this is it.
“I’ve seen it before when players run between wickets … but this one’s probably a little bit unique in a sense that it’s after you play a shot.
“It’s a bit of case of a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush, so we’ll know for next game that there won’t be any issue with girls running down the wicket because girls have seen it tonight.”
Former Australian captain Lisa Sthalekar said the penalty and in some circumstance the rule was too harsh.
“I can totally understand the first five-run penalty that was given, because it was the same (Pakistan) batters that were warned a number of times,” Sthalekar said.
“But the last one that was given was a batter that just came to the wicket, she hadn’t done it (before) herself and it was the last ball … That’s where I probably question the rules.
“A player coming in to face their first ball shouldn’t be penalised for what other players have done.
“ … Is five runs too much of a penalty in T20 cricket?”
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Originally published as Ellyse Perry admits she’s never seen anything like the pitch-running crackdown at the World T20