Glenn Maxwell stumped by decision to give Ben Dunk out in Melbourne Stars’ loss to Perth Scorchers

Melbourne Stars captain Glenn Maxwell was left baffled by an “extraordinary” decision to give opener Ben Dunk out despite the Perth Scorchers fielder declaring he didn’t catch the ball.

Ben Dunk was given out caught despite Perth Scorchers players not being convinced. Picture: AAP

The quality of umpiring in the Big Bash has joined a long list of review topics for Cricket Australia after what Melbourne Stars captain Glenn Maxwell called an “extraordinary” decision in Perth on Sunday night.

Melbourne opener Ben Dunk was given out caught by TV umpire Simon Lightbody in his team’s 27-run loss, despite Scorchers’ fielder Nick Hobson declaring he didn’t take the catch cleanly.

Perth fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile started walking back to his mark but the umpires intervened after a request from Perth keeper Cameron Bancroft to have a look at it.

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Despite replays proving inconclusive, the on-field “soft” signal from the umpires was out and Lightbody didn’t overrule it.

“It looked to me the bowler and the fielder both said it didn’t carry and they went back to their positions,” Maxwell said.

“Bancroft asked for it to be looked at and somehow the umpire has come up with that’s out. It’s an extraordinary decision in the end, but that’s history.

“From our point of view it was pretty disappointing the fielder says he doesn’t catch it and the bowler accepts that and walks back to his mark and somehow it gets given out on field.

“Judging by the evidence given to them I would have thought the soft signal would have been not out and if there was evidence it was out I am fine with it being overturned.

“But the cameras looked a bit blurry and as soon as you don’t have the evidence to overturn it, it’s going to stick with the umpire’s call and we all have to live with that.”

Ben Dunk (left) and Perth players wait for the umpire’s decision. Picture: AAP

The controversial decision follows several incidents already this season, including players from the Adelaide Strikers being forced to withdraw an appeal after the TV umpire incorrectly ruled James Pattinson run out despite replays to the contrary,

And Pattinson was also involved in an incident in Perth where the umpire looked to have given Scorchers captain Ashton Turner out caught behind when the skipper walked, only to rule it not out when he stopped.

The Stars loss has also put the pressure on the Melbourne outfit to win at least one of its final two games, against the Heat this Friday in Brisbane and the Sydney Sixers at the MCG on Sunday, to guarantee a finals spot.

Maxwell’s men are fourth on the BBL table but the skipper said he was confident they could win the competition from anywhere, so just making the finals was the goal.

“We’ve got to win one of the next two, hopefully we can win both and gets ourselves a (final) in Melbourne,” he said.

“History tells you you can win it from anywhere.”

Originally published as Glenn Maxwell stumped by decision to give Ben Dunk out in Melbourne Stars’ loss to Perth Scorchers