Umpire error costs Hurricanes star D’Arcy Short century v Stars
While the umpires cost D’Arcy Short the summer’s first BBL century, the Hurricanes star has pushed his case to be in the World Cup frame for Australia.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Australia has just 12 ODIs left to finetune its batting plans for this year’s World Cup defence in England.
D’Arcy Short deserves a decent audition in plenty of those games.
Short was a surprise omission from the 14-man squad currently taking on India but the destructive dazzler should be on the plane for next month’s return series against Virat Kohli’s men.
Short’s ball striking at the MCG on Monday night was as clean a display of hitting as you will see, setting up Hobart’s 59-run win against the Melbourne Stars.
It was out of the Adam Gilchrist playbook, with power produced from an easy and effortless swing of the bat.
The opener finished unbeaten on 96 (57) and it was as if his bat only had a middle.
The umpires cost Short the summer’s first century in the men’s league with a leg glance played through his legs reaching the rope but incorrectly given as leg byes.
It was Short’s fourth score of at least 90 runs in the BBL. No other player has achieved that feat three times and he is now the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
As Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket, Short also offers handy wrist spin and it is becoming increasingly evident you spin to win with the white ball.
Warne was validated when Short went and bowled Stars opener Ben Dunk with his first ball, his fifth scalp for the summer.
World Cup host England has scored 300-plus in 42 per cent of its games since the 2015 tournament.
So, who would you back to aggressively bat Australia past such mega totals? Short or, say, Usman Khawaja?
Warne was certain last night it was the Hurricanes matchwinner. Short flushed and punched 12 boundaries as he and Matthew Wade put on their seventh 50-run partnership, a BBL record.
As for Australian players of the future, keep an eye on Hobart quick Riley Meredith, 22. He sizzles them through and has just about been the find of the season.
THE MELBOURNE MISSING STARS
They say chemistry is key in T20 cricket. Well, how’s this for a contrast? The Hurricanes made their first change for the summer, with Jake Doran replacing Alex Doolan. The Canes have used just 12 players, whereas Stars debutant Tom O’Connell became his team’s 20th player on Monday night. The Hurricanes thumped the green team on Christmas Eve and only four Stars from that game featured on Monday night. With so many topliners missing, they should be called the Melbourne Missing Stars. As for the ladder-leading Hurricanes, they are doing it with just one international import — Jofra Archer.
UMPIRE HOWLERS
It hasn’t been a great Big Bash for the umpires. On Monday night Jackson Bird was incorrectly pinged for a front foot no-ball, despite planting his shoe safely behind the crease. The blunder gave Short a free hit and Ricky Ponting noted that could be the difference between winning and losing in T20 cricket. Short was then robbed a rare ton by the leg byes blunder while Perth Scorcher Michael Klinger was dismissed off the seventh ball of an over — yes, the seventh ball — on Sunday night. Adelaide Strikers withdrew their appeal of a James Pattinson run out in the first game of the summer after the third umpire got it wrong and last week Short walked against the Renegades after the umpire shook his head at an appeal for a clear catch of his glove. It’s a tough gig, umpiring. Let’s hope the worst of it is behind us.
SHORT SEB SAVES D’ARCY
Stars keeper Seb Gotch saw the funny side of it. “That’s the disadvantage of being five-foot one,” Gotch quipped on the player mic. But dropping D’Arcy Short on 3 (4) off Englishman Liam Plunkett quickly became no laughing matter. Gotch leapt up and got his left glove to a thick edge but it just didn’t stick. It was a tough chance, and Gotch’s glove at least saved three runs. But the keeper put it down as a “definite dropped chance” and lamented his reaction time. There’s plenty Gotchy can work on but his height isn’t one of them. And Gotch carved out a handy 35 (26) with the bat, his best knock this season.
BRITTLE NIC BATTLING
Nic Maddinson has a decent scar on his left arm after last month’s bad break in a Sheffield Shield game. You wonder what mental scars Maddinson is also carrying. Maddo made a swift recovery and returned as interim captain last week but the prized recruit has just 13 runs off 19 balls after three games, an average of 4.3. Maddinson was the Stars’ No. 1 target last off-season as they planned for life after Kevin Pietersen. It’ll surely click for him sometime this season. As for his captaincy, there was the peculiar decision to take Evan Gulbis off after sending down the Stars’ tidiest over.
Every Test, ODI, T20I, and BBL match live & ad-break free during play. SIGN UP NOW!
Originally published as Umpire error costs Hurricanes star D’Arcy Short century v Stars
Smith: ‘I didn’t ask’ to move back to No.4
Steve Smith has revealed he didn’t ask to move down the order in the Test side, just a week after the coach and captain said he had initiated the move away from opening.
Lee: Selection puzzle proves how undervalued Warner was
As the Aussies prepare to face India without an idea who might open alongside Usman Khawaja, Brett Lee says Australia might finally appreciate what it had in David Warner now he’s gone.