Australian captain’s unjust dismissal exposes ‘ridiculous’ double standard

Australian captain Meg Lanning would have justifiably felt hard done by after an umpiring error prematurely ended her knock.

The Decision Review System, or lack thereof, was the major talking point on day three of Australia’s day-night Test match against India.

After posting a formidable first innings total at Metrion Stadium on Saturday, India delayed its declaration until the sun had dropped over the Gold Coast skyline, a decision that quickly paid dividends for the tourists.

Australia’s world-class batters were exposed by the swinging pink Kookaburra during the twilight sessions, which India has fortuitously avoided thanks to Queensland’s tropical storms.

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Beth Mooney, Alyssa Healy, and Meg Lanning – the only specialist batters in Australia’s starting XI – were each dismissed cheaply under the venue’s artificial lights.

But Lanning would have justifiably felt hard done by after an umpiring error prematurely ended her knock.

In the 33rd over of Australia’s innings, Indian young gun Pooja Vastrakar struck Lanning on the front pad with a length delivery that decked past the inside edge.

The Indians appealed for LBW and umpire Claire Polosak, who was officiating her first Test match, awarded the wicket.

However, replays showed that Lanning had edged the ball onto her pads. With no DRS available in the match, the Australian captain had no choice but to make her way back to the pavilion.

Earlier in the day, India’s Deepti Sharma was adjudged LBW for a delivery that replays suggested had pitched comfortably outside the line of leg stump.

Meg Lanning adjudged LBW off the bowling of Pooja Vastrakar despite a huge inside edge!
#AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/dKFb8R4hzs

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) October 2, 2021

The controversial dismissals frustrated cricket fans, many questioning why the DRS technology was not available.

Cricket reporter Melinda Farrell explained that the late change of venue and logistical problems, including border closures, made it difficult for the DRS to be implemented.

The one-off Test was initially scheduled to take place in Perth, but Covid-19 restrictions and border closures meant the match was moved to Queensland at the eleventh hour.

ABC Grandstand commentator Quentin Hull said: “If (Virat) Kohli and (Tim) Paine were here playing a Test, do you think it‘d go ahead without it? No. CA needs to go all-in supporting the women. There’s still 3 T20Is to come at this stadium.”

Cricket Australia has since confirmed the DRS technology will be available throughout the women’s Ashes, which gets underway in late January.

“Obviously there were a few logistical nightmares to be able to have it here with the venue shift but I‘d love to see it in every Test match. It makes it nice and fair and even,” Healy told reporters after play.

“The umpires don‘t mean to make mistakes. We’re out there as players, we make mistakes on the regular.

“But to take out the howler would be a nice thing.”

Unfortunate for Lanning, but Vastrakar has been impressive today. Very consistent with her lengths. Straying full rather than short. #AUSvIND#PinkBallTest#DRSPlease

— Ananya Upendran (@a_upendran11) October 2, 2021

Women’s cricket needs a challenge system like the men. Meg Lanning out LBW. Clearly hit bat. Even NRL bunker would have picked it up.

— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) October 2, 2021

Why we haven’t got DRS is beyond me!! Ridiculous! #ausvind

— Tim Verrall (@timverrall) October 2, 2021

Earlier, India’s batters compiled a record total to put themselves in a commanding position on the Gold Coast. Australia could only muster eight wickets in 145 overs in the field, with Friday’s torrential rain ensuring victory was no longer possible for the hosts.

India’s total of 8/377 declared was not only the highest score by a touring women’s side on Australian soil, but also the first instance of an away team declaring in Australia since 1984.

The Aussies sorely missed experienced pace duo Megan Schutt and Tayla Vlaeminck, with the young bowling attack struggling to adapt to the Test arena, repeatedly bowling too short on the lifeless deck.

As revealed by Channel 7, only 10 per cent of Australia’s deliveries on the opening two days would have struck the stumps.

The Aussies also let themselves down in the field with five dropped catches, three of which came off Sophie Molineux’s bowling.

To rub salt into the wounds, when a vintage Ellyse Perry yorker struck Taniya Bhatia on her foot directly in front of the stumps, nobody appealed.

Jhulan Goswami celebrates the dismissal of Alyssa Healy. Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

There were some highlights for Australia in the field, with teenage quick Stella Campbell claiming her maiden Test wicket while Ellyse Perry became the first Australian woman to take 300 scalps in international cricket.

After the sun had set in Carrara, veteran Indian seamer Jhulan Goswami showed the Aussies how to effectively bowl with the pink ball, removing both opening batters before the evening break.

Goswami bowled Beth Mooney through the gate with a delivery that nipped back and crashed into the top of off stump.

The 38-year-old then sent Alyssa Healy’s back to the sheds after tempting the wicketkeeper with a full delivery that seamed away just enough to find the outside edge.

Although India’s seamers leaked some runs by pitching the ball up, the ends justified the means.

Goswami was playing Test cricket before Brown & Campbell were born. That experience revealing itself just now. Superb against Healy #AUSvIND

— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) October 2, 2021

“India with the (way they used the) seam showed us what we couldn‘t quite do with the new ball early in our innings,” Healy said.

“We won the toss and we wanted to bowl and make a real impact, and we couldn‘t quite do that, I think with a little bit of inexperience around.

“They bowled beautifully under lights today – they‘ve got a really great seam attack and they presented that seam and let the ball do the work for them.

“Their consistency has probably surprised me. Just the way that they‘ve been able to come out and consistently bowl a really good line and length, and present the seam accordingly, has been really impressive.

“They‘ve shown our really young and inexperienced attack just how to do it.”

All-rounders Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath briefly steadied the ship before the latter needlessly cut a short-pitched delivery from Vastrakar straight to the point fielder.

Australia is 143/4 at stumps on day three, still trailing India by 234 and needing an additional 85 runs to avoid the follow-on.

Perry and Ash Gardner are the not out batters overnight, unbeaten at stumps on 27 and 13 respectively.