Melbourne Stars teenager Rhys McKenna was incorrectly adjudicated out during Tuesday afternoon’s WBBL clash with the Adelaide Strikers, stumped in bizarre scenes at Junction Oval.
In the 15th over of the match, Strikers seamer Megan Schutt delivered a yorker that the right-hander missed, with the ball ricocheting off wicketkeeper Bridget Patterson’s pads onto the stumps.
The Strikers appealed for a fortuitous stumping and square leg umpire Lisa McCabe awarded the dismissal, with McKenna trudging off for 14 (5).
However, replays showed that McKenna did not lift her right foot until after the ball had struck the stumps, meaning she should have been not out.
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“Hang on, how is that out?” former Stars batter Kelly Applebee said in commentary.
“That’s not out. She was well and truly in her crease.
“That is ridiculous.”
No third umpire or DRS was available for the WBBL contest, so the decision couldn’t be sent upstairs despite replays showing she was clearly safe. DRS technology is only available for 24 of the 59 WBBL matches this season.
Stars fall short in drama infused clash | 00:58
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During the previous over of the Stars’ innings, England international Alice Capsey was stumped in eerily similar circumstances. Strikers spinner Anesu Mushangwe deceived Capsey with a full delivery that rebounded off McKenna’s pads onto the pegs, stumped for 25 (26).
Patterson, donning the gloves for the Strikers for just the third time in his WBBL career, finished the innings with three stumpings, equalling the club record.
The Stars scored 6-133 from their 20 overs, with England recruit Maia Bouchier slapping a team-best 48 (38).
Stars skipper Meg Lanning tried to buck the trend when she won the flip and decided to bat first, but the change in tactics didn’t work as her side slumped to a second defeat to the Strikers in the space of four days.
The first seven games of the season saw the winner of the bat flip send the opposition in, with the team batting first winning every time.
The Stars hoped the different approach would bring a change in fortune, but it didn’t make a difference with Maia Bouchier (48 off 38) the only batter to go on with it as the hosts were restricted to 6/133.
It was a marked improvement from Saturday night when they were rolled for 29 – the lowest score in WBBL history – but it still wasn’t enough as the defending champions bounced back from Monday’s heavy defeat to the Renegades.
Katie Mack anchored the chase with a fluent 48 before Maddie Penna (28*) helped get them over the line in the final over with two balls to spare.
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