Adelaide Strikers drop two catches in a row

A MISTAKE or two is expected in the game of cricket. But to have this many fumbles so early in the game just seems ridiculous.

Strikers’ shocking ‘hot potato’ over

THE Adelaide Strikers may be well practised with the bat, but their fielding could do with some work.

By the time the fifth over had ended in the Melbourne Stars’ innings during their Big Bash clash at the Adelaide Oval, the Strikers had already squandered four opportunities to take the wickets of both Melbourne openers Luke Wright and Marcus Stoinis.

The first over of the innings saw wicket-keeper Tim Ludeman miss an opportunity to stump a charging Wright, but it was the second over that saw the real chaos unfold.

Watch the over in the player above.

Bowling his first over of the match, Adelaide paceman Kane Richardson forced Stoinis to produce an outside edge, which sailed directly to Craig Simmons at first slip.

But Simmons made a meal of it, bobbling the ball before it fell to the ground.

“There’s no such thing as an easy slip catch, but as far as they go, that was alright wasn’t it?” commentator Andrew Flintoff said.

The following ball, Richardson produced another quality short delivery, which saw Wright pick up a healthy top edge, with wicket-keeper Tim Ludeman calling for the catch, despite having to cover some 30 metres to the ball. The keeper failed to get a hand to it as the ball sailed through his gloves while surrounding fielders watched on.

Dropped! Simmons puts one down off Richardson's bowling. Now Wright skies one and Ludeman can't quite there. It's all happening! #BBL05

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 18, 2015

Andrew Flintoff couldn’t contain himself.

“What’s going on with the Adelaide Strikers? They can’t hold on to this hot potato!”

Richardson again found his bowling on the wrong end of some unfortunate fielding when he returned in the fourth over of the match.

Luke Wright swatted at a bouncing delivery, which caught a thick edge and sailed up above the keeper’s head. Ludeman couldn’t get a glove to it, putting down his second catch in as many overs.

“I feel he should have taken that for sure,” commentator Adam Gilchrist said.

Ludeman having a forgettable day in the field! Three chances coming his way, all of which have gone down! #BBL05 pic.twitter.com/ixcdkyU8hs

— HoldingWilleyCricket (@holdingwilley) December 18, 2015

Third chance from Ludeman goes down! The standard of fielding so far in the BBL has been simply poor! #BBL05

— HoldingWilleyCricket (@holdingwilley) December 18, 2015

Ludeman missed a stumping in the 1st over and then drops a catch in the 2nd. Simmons drops one off Stoinis. Sleepy Strikers? #BBL5

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) December 18, 2015

Adelaide batsman Brad Hodge spoke with commentators during the game via a live microphone feed, making light of his team’s fielding situation.

“My under 12’s are a little bit sharper than this at the moment but that can happen, one is trying hard and doing the right things,” Hodge said.

“There’s plenty of this game to go, we will get the basics right.”

The Strikers batted first in the match, posting a total of 187 with Alex Ross top scoring with 65.