• An umpiring howler saved Usman Khawaja during Sydney Thunder vs Perth Scorchers clash.

  • Cricketers expressed shock after witnessing constant umpiring errors in BBL 10.

BBL 2020-21: Cricket fraternity stunned with umpiring howlers in the ongoing tournament
Umpiring blunder in BBL 10 shocks cricket fraternity (Screengrab: Cricketcomau)

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In a match between Perth Scorchers and Sydney Thunder in the ongoing BBL 10 on Tuesday, an umpiring howler has shocked the cricket fraternity.

The Scorchers’ paceman Andrew Tye was left in disbelief when Thunder opener Usman Khawaja was given not out, despite getting the nick which carried through to wicket-keeper Josh Inglis.

It all happened on the first delivery of the 6th over bowled by Tye when Khawaja went for the glory shot through the covers.

The ball angled away from a good length and carried a thick edge off Khawaja’s bat which went straight to keeper Inglis. The bowler and Scorchers’ teammates appealed for a wicket, but umpire Simon Lightbody rejected it.

Tye and Lightbody then had an exchange as the bowler walked back to his mark. The conversation was picked up on the stump mic, where the umpire explained his stance.

“I thought the bat hit the ground, mate,” said Lightbody.

“What? Bat hit the ground? It was that far off the ground,” replied Tye while holding his arms apart.

“Yeah, well, that’s what I thought,” explained Lightbody.

The umpire’s decision cost Scorchers only three runs as Khawaja was sent back to the dugout for 21 when he top-edged a pull shot off Aaron Hardie. But, the Thunder went on to win the match by 7 wickets in the final over.

It’s not the first time that an umpiring blunder has taken place in the ongoing tournament. During a contest between Thunder and Melbourne Stars at Manuka Oval earlier in the competition, Khawaja was yet again involved in an umpiring blooper. However, the fortune went against him on that occasion, as he was given out despite not edging the ball.

Cricket fraternity demands for implementation of DRS in BBL

When the mistake happened, on-air commentator and former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh called the decision unfortunate. He disagreed with the explanation of umpire, who thought the bat touched the ground.

“Oh, my goodness. That is regulation. It’s nowhere near the ground. He’s just had a shocker there, unfortunately. That’s just a huge nick. That’s a big nick,” said Waugh on Fox Cricket.

Mitchell Marsh, who scored a half-century for Scorchers in the game, said he is ‘all ready’ to see DRS in the T20 competition.

“I think as a player you would obviously like to see stuff introduced, I’d be all for it, but it’s probably above my pay grade to be commenting on that,” said Marsh as quoted by The West Australian.

Aussie all-rounder and Stars’ skipper Glenn Maxwell admitted that umpiring isn’t easy but implementing technologies will surely help in order to make the right decision.

“We get that umpiring isn’t easy!! But surely with a stump mic, a bunch of different camera angles, and a basic understanding of cricket, the right decision could’ve been made without any of the fancy DRS bells and whistles? It was introduced to eliminate the howler,” Maxwell wrote on Twitter.

Cricket journalist Chloe-Amanda Bailey expressed shock and asked whether umpire forget his glasses or something.

“Lol, why don’t we have at least one review in BBL? Khawaja is my favourite player in BBL, but that’s criminal. Did the umpire forget his glasses or?” Bailey tweeted.

Here are some other reactions:

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About the Author:
AKSHAT GAUR
Akshat is the Sr. Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, Akshat has honed his skills over 6 years, working with various media outlets, publications, and organizations to deliver high-quality content that informs, educates, and entertains audiences. He is just another cricket fan who’s grown up watching the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Cricket runs in his veins. Cover drive is his favorite sight, and a ball meeting the middle of the bat is his favorite sound. You can write to him at akshat.gaur@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.