They were found guilty of committing the same mistake repeatedly.
In a bizarre and rare incident in cricket, two bowlers were ejected from the attack and banned from bowling further in a match in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL). While it’s anyway uncommon for a single player to be taken out of the attack midway through an over, happening to two players in the same match is almost unprecedented.
During the match between Melbourne Renegades and Brisbane Heat, Renegades captain Will Sutherland and fellow pacer Fergus O’Neill were both denied from bowling for the rest of the Heat’s innings following intervention from the officials as they stepped into the danger area repeatedly.
Sutherland was summoned by the umpire, who was motioning to the area just in front of the stumps at the bowler’s end, also known as the protected area and was subsequently taken out of the attack.
Just four overs later, a similar incident occurred, this time involving bowler Fergus O’Neill, leaving Sutherland to bury his face in his hands.
Check the video of the incident below.
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The rules allow an error of two times and on the third time, the bowler gets suspended.
According to clause 41.13.1 of the BBL playing conditions,
“It is unfair for a bowler to enter the protected area in his follow-through without reasonable cause, whether or not the ball is delivered. Any violation of this leads to a warning – the first two times.”
The danger area or the protected area, is a rectangular area, two feet wide and starting five feet from each popping crease. It is important since it preserves the pitch’s integrity for fair play.
Renegades opener Josh Brown eventually had to fill in the void left by Sutherland and O’Neill. Brown, who had never bowled in his T20 career, was unexpectedly called upon and his 2.4 overs proved costly, conceding 48 runs without a wicket. In the process, Heat powered their way to a massive total of 196 for 4 – the highest score at Marvel Stadium this season.
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