A controversial overturned catch has taken away Perth Scorchers’ shot at sitting top of the BBL table on Wednesday night.
Ashton Turner thought he had Melbourne Renegades youngster Oli Peake (on 15) out caught when his side needed 37 off 21 balls.
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But as Peake trudged off in the 17th over, he was called back on review as the catch was overruled.
Replays appeared to show Turner had the ball secured in one hand, but when he landed that same wrist made contact with the Optus Stadium turf.
“The ball has made contact with the ground,” TV umpire Stephen Dionysius could be heard stating.
“Player is not in control of his movement and the ball is on the ground.”
MATCH CENTRE: Scorchers vs Renegades scorecard and videos
Fox Cricket commentators were left stunned by the decision, which followed recent precedent, as the crowd furiously booed for the rest of the night.
“Wow, not out. Let off,” a shocked Brendon Julian said.
“This could be the moment in this game.
“Oli Peake, I’m sorry no, no, no.”
“Amazing how he had full control over the ball in his hand – but because he was off balance as he was trying to gather himself and the ball was put on the ground that it’s not out,” Shane Watson said.
Brad Haddin added: “It’s interesting because Turner has had a lot of shoulder injuries. Normally when your ball goes over your head like that, you’re vulnerable when you fall back and his natural reaction is to save his shoulder rather than roll and try and get underneath the ball so you can understand what Turner did there.
“The crowd doesn’t like it but… that’s the rules.”
The moment proved the turning point in the contest as Peake later hit the match-winning six off the final ball to send the men in red into wild celebration.
“It’s what you dream of doing. Had a bit of luck,” he said on Fox Cricket.
“It’s not something for me to adjudicate but we saw something similar with Starcy in the Ashes. That’s the rules of the game at the end of the day.”
Earlier, the Renegades kept their BBL finals hopes alive despite an awful mix up that saw two players stranded at the same end.
At 1-54, the Gades were cruising in their chase of just 127 until Muhammad Rizwan and Tim Seifert suffered a brain fade.
Rizwan took off while Seifert turned his back – and both players ended up stranded.
Only a late lunge with the bat saved Rizwan from having to depart, as it was Seifert determined as the man run out.
“Oh no no! C’mon!” Brendon Julian said on Fox Cricket.
“Just when they get themselves going… Riz wanted it! He called for it.
“Seifert just basically turned his back.
“Oh what a feeling there – definitely not a good one.”
“That was awful running,” Shane Watson added.
“A bit of a brain fart from both batsmen.”
The Scorchers were in early trouble at 3-49 inside the eighth over on Wednesday night as they looked to jump to the top of the table.
And that trouble rolled on as Perth continued to lose regular wickets.
Skipper Ashton Turner (12 off 8) went large down the ground off Hassan Khan, but like Finn Allen before him, it was six and out for the Scorchers star.
Laurie Evans then fell to Will Sutherland in the power surge – only the second wicket the Scorchers have lost in that period this BBL.
By the 14th over, the home side were struggling at 5-85.
The Gades continued to put the foot down, running out Nick Hobson and Jhye Richardson as Perth finished all out for 126 – with four balls remaining.
In reply, the Gades started strongly through Josh Brown (22 off 14) before they came crashing down losing 3-9 off 24 balls.
Late hitting from young Oli Peake (42* off 30) ensured it was Melbourne who got home – keeping their finals hopes alive.
SAM STARS ON GADES DEBUT
Sam Elliott certainly left an impression on debut for the Melbourne Renegades.
The 25-year-old, who last played BBL cricket four years ago for the Melbourne Stars, stepped up in Perth – including conceding just four runs in the 15th over.
Starting with two dot balls before a misfield ensured a single was taken third ball, ex-Aussie stars Brad Haddin and Shane Watson were impressed.
“That’s bowling to your field,” Shane Watson praised.
“Tell you what? The Vics certainly know how to produce someone, a bowler who can come in and smack the top of the stumps. You see (Scott) Boland and what a great person to be able to learn from.”
Elliott ended up conceding just four from the over.
“That just shows how simple T20 bowling has to be. You don’t have to do too many funky things,” Watson added.
“That was a high quality over from Sam Elliott,” Haddin said.
“He’s done a wonderful job to bowl to his field.
“He robbed the batsmen of hitting to the areas they wanted to… Very clever over.”
Elliott’s opportunity only came as an injury replacement for Will Salzmann who was ruled out with a hamstring injury suffered on the eve of BBL15.
DORFF’S RETURN A SUCCESS
Four-time Scorchers champion Jason Behrendorff returned to Perth with a bang by snaring the wicket of former teammate Cooper Connolly.
Connolly, the rising star of WA cricket, let one through the gate – leaving Behrendorff with a little grin.
“Just scoreboard pressure there from Cooper Connolly,” Brad Haddin said on Fox Cricket.
“Tried to break the shackles. Jason Behrendorff knew that. He kept the stumps in play.
“Just gave his little younger teammate a little glare on the way past.”
“See ya young fella,” Brendon Julian added.
Behrendorff finished with 1-11 from his three-over spell. Remarkably, Behrendorff was used for those three overs to start – and then didn’t return to the action.
It’s the first time Behrendorff has played in Perth since walking out on the club last year and signing for the Melbourne Renegades.
SQUADS
Scorchers: Finn Allen, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Brody Couch, Laurie Evans, Sam Fanning, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Mitch Marsh, Joel Paris, David Payne, Jhye Richardson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Ashton Turner (c)
Renegades: Jason Behrendorff, Josh Brown, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Caleb Jewell, Hassan Khan, Ollie Peake, Muhammad Rizwan, Gurinder Sandhu, Tim Seifert, Mattew Spoors, Callum Stow, Will Sutherland (c), Andrew Tye
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