‘If it is the rule, we can play by it’: BBL star lashes at umpire for not ruling Stoinis timed out, all-rounder responds
Adelaide Strikers believe Marcus Stoinis should have been out even before he could implode and pointed fingers at the umpires for allowing him to continue, which they claimed was a definite time out.
Marcus Stoinis emerged as the standout player in the Big Bash League match between Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars, which the latter won by 8 runs. Batting first Melbourne piled a stiff 186/7 on the board in 20 overs, out of which 74 came off Stoinis' bat. His 35-ball innings saw Stoinis smash five 4s and six 6s.
The highlight of Stoinis' destructive innings was his 29-run over against Henry Thornton, whom he hit for four 6s and a boundary.
However, Strikers believe Stoinis should have been out even before he could implode and pointed fingers at the umpires for allowing him to continue. In order to keep things fast and smooth, the rules in BBL state that a new batter should be ready in crease within 75 seconds following a dismissal.
“He’s (Stoinis) a top-class player, but to be honest I was at cover for his first ball and I’m pretty certain he timed out,” Strikers’ batter Adam Hose was quoted as saying in a report on foxsports.com.au.
“(He had) 75 seconds and he wasn’t ready. So, there was a bit of confusion there with the umpires. We were all appealing … I’m not quite sure what happened there. I’m pretty certain his time was up. The umpires have been pretty hot on me for the last couple of games with getting to the crease.
“It’s just one of those things, Trent Boult bowled a couple of brilliant overs there and he (Stoinis) won them the game with the bat, so well played. He’d faced his first ball by the time we managed to get around the umpire and ask the question, but I just hope that if it is the rule that we can play by it,” added Hose.
Meanwhile, when asked to Stoinis about it, the all-rounder said he wouldn't have appealed if the opposition were in a similar situation.
“I checked centre (stump), got there, and was standing off because I saw the field moving,” Stoinis said.
“But I actually didn’t even know that I had to stand there regardless.
“There were a few times there where the fielders were moving when we were taking guard and we were ready,” Stoinis said.
“My understanding was that while the field is moving … I’m not going to stand there until I can see (what the final fielding set-up looks like).
“Apparently, you have to be facing up.
“There was a dead ball with Hilts (Hilton Cartwright), they appealed for that, but the field was moving so it ended up being a dead ball.”
Stoinis also mentioned that there needs to be a “commonsense” approach to this mode of dismissal.