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0 Debate is raging in the cricket world after veteran Pakistan batter Nida Dar was given a reprieve after being apparently bowled by Tahlia McGrath in yesterday’s third and final ODI at North Sydney Oval.
Chasing 337 for victory after a Beth Mooney century, Pakistan were trundling along at 2-111 in the 27th over when Dar backed away from the McGrath delivery well after it had left the Aussie quick’s hand.
Umpire Claire Polosak signalled dead ball, and so Dar not-out. The Aussies didn’t seem to complain too much on-field, but commentators suggested she should have been walking back to the pavilion.
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“She’s clean bowled … this will be interesting. She was a long way into her action,” Mel Jones said in commentary for Fox Sports.
“I reckon Nida Dar has gone down into her stance, McGrath has come in to bowl, and I think she’s just been spooked by the fact she was in her bowling stride and so decided to pull out.”
Replays showed Dar with her head down as McGrath ran in to bowl, and only looked up once she was well into her delivery stride.
“As a batter, I was always under the impression that when you were in your stance and tapped your bat down, you were ready to accept the delivery,” former Australian captain Rachael Haynes said.
“Nida Dar needs to be a bit careful there. (She) had already tapped her bat down.”
Social media reaction was also swift, with many suggesting Dar should have been given out.
But former Australian better Alex Blackwell disagreed.
”I thought that was fair – she didn’t see the ball,” she said.
Dar was on just five at the time, and went on to make 29 before Annabel Sutherland had her caught by Beth Mooney.
Pakistan eventually finished the innings at 7-235, giving Australia a 101-run victory and a series clean sweep.
Earlier, a spectacular century from Beth Mooney led the Aussie innings.
Mooney dominated the Pakistani attack, and took particular liking to spinner Tuba Hassan.
She spanked the first three balls of Hassan’s sixth over – the 35th of Australia’s innings – over deep mid wicket for six.
While the first only just cleared North Sydney Oval’s relatively small boundaries, the next two would’ve been six anywhere in the world – both landing on the roof.
In fact, the second had enough on it to trickle over the famous green roof and out of the ground.
“If you find yourself driving down Miller Street in the next few overs, I hope you’ve got car insurance,” Mel Jones said in commentary for Fox Sports.
The Aussies finished their 50 overs at 8-336.
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