Renegades captain Will Sutherland kicked out of attack in ‘extraordinary’ BBL scenes
Melbourne Renegades skipper Will Sutherland has been left in disbelief after he was removed from his side’s bowling attack in bizarre circumstances.
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Melbourne Renegades skipper Will Sutherland was left fuming after he was one of two players kicked out of the attack for running on the pitch in his side’s win over the Brisbane Heat at Marvel Stadium.
While the BBL’s top three of the Hurricanes, Sixers and Thunder are already locked in, the remaining teams all came into the final game with a chance to squeeze into fourth spot.
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But for the Renegades, whose path to the finals relied on a big win and results going their way, the game started poorly with their bowlers getting ripped apart by the Heat batters.
In the 13th over, the Heat were cruising at 1/125 when the drama began.
With Sutherland himself bowling, he’d just been crushed for three sixes by Matt Renshaw when umpire Donovan Koch ejected the Renegades skipper from the attack with one ball left in his third over.
While this often happens when bowlers bowl too many no ball full tosses, Sutherland was ejected from the attack for running in the danger zone or protected area of the pitch.
This is an imaginary area running down the middle of the wicket, with bowlers able to be taken out of the attack for multiple infringements, particularly as any such action could unfairly damage the pitch and make it more difficult for the other team.
While Sutherland was getting belted and it may have been a blessing in disguise, Fox Sports commentators David Warner and Brad Haddin were stunned by the decision.
Sutherland had been warned in his first over about running in the danger zone.
“That’s an extraordinary decision in a T20 match, especially they’ve got to bat second. It’s not going to do too much damage to the surface,” Haddin said.
Renegades star Jake Fraser-McGurk was just as baffled as anyone else, saying it “must have been danger area”.
“That’s bizarre, I’ve not seen that,” Warner said. “This is outrageous – he wasn’t deliberately doing it.”
Incredibly, both Tom Rogers and Fergus O’Neill had also been warned.
And so in the 17th over, O’Neill was also ejected, although his one was much worse.
Umpire Koch told O’Neill and Sutherland “I couldn’t see”, with the bowler’s foot going all the way across the stumps.
“We’re batting next,” pleaded Sutherland in disbelief over the call.
Warner said: “That one I don’t disagree with — he’s almost gone on the other side of the stumps there.”
Later, Warner added: “I can see the frustration. But it’s a non negotiable.
“If the umpire says you’re warned once, you quite clearly can’t do it again. I know no bowler means it.
“I’ve never ever in my life seen it (two players thrown out).”
The Heat’s Jack Wood, who blasted 45 off 27, including four sixes, said: “You hate to see it happen to players but that’s part of the game I suppose.
“I certainly haven’t seen it before.”
ABC’s Matt Clinch made light of the drama, tweeting: “Sutherland family creating more history. Annabel was taken out of the attack on Tues for two waist high no balls playing for Australia. Will on Saturday running in the danger area of the pitch when bowling against Brisbane.”
Fellow ABC reporter Zane Bojack commented: “Will Sutherland taken out of the attack for running on the pitch in a #BBL game … I have seen everything now …”
Seven commentator and Aussie great Damien Fleming added: “What just happened there with Will Sutherland. Out of the attack for running on the wicket.”
Others joked that the big losers were the Heat as they were thumping Sutherland, taking him for 0/43 off his 2.5 overs, although O’Neill had been much more economical at 0/17 off his 2.3 overs.
With opening batter Josh Brown forced to bowl the final over with the Renegades losing 16 balls between both ejected bowlers, the Heat blasted 4/196, setting an imposing total for Melbourne to keep their season alive.
Brown ended up with horror figures of 0/48 from 2.4 overs.
Luckily for the Renegades, master blaster Fraser-McGurk finally found some form, blasting 95 off just 46 balls.
While he was dismissed needing 18 more runs, Rogers and O’Neill got the Renegades home with three wickets and two overs in hand.
The result means the Heat’s BBL defence is over, while the Renegades will be hoping for a close match between the Strikers and Scorchers.
At the moment, the Renegade’s net run rate of 0.139 is ahead of both the Strikers and Scorchers, who play the late game on Saturday night.
And if the Stars win the final match of the season against the Hurricanes, then the rest of the results won’t matter and the Stars will sneak into fourth.
Originally published as Renegades captain Will Sutherland kicked out of attack in ‘extraordinary’ BBL scenes
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