UP Warriorz coach Jon Lewis expressed his frustration at the controversial ball-tracking decision leading to the dismissal of Chamari Athapaththu (8 off 8) against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Monday.
In the pursuit of 199, Chamari was struck on the pads while attempting a sweep against leg-spinner Georgia Wareham. Initially deemed not out by the on-field umpire, RCB opted for a review. The delivery appeared to pitch, turn, and make contact below Chamari Athapaththu’s knee.
Visibly, it seemed to be heading downward. However, Hawk-Eye indicated a lower impact, just above the ankle, and projected it to hit the middle stump. The decision surprised Athapaththu, her partner Alyssa Healy, and even the bowling side.
“You watch the ball with the naked eye, and you think it might pitch in line, just maybe,” Lewis said.
“Then you look at the ball rotating, and well, it’s rotating like a legspinner. There are not many legspinners that go towards that [other] side. It was a fascinating dismissal and a massive turning point for us in that game.”
The dismissal occurred during a crucial phase when Healy and Athapaththu, featuring in the playing 11 for the first time this season, aimed to establish a partnership. This wicket brought the team’s score down to 63/2, and despite the efforts, the Warriorz lost six more wickets, finishing the game at 175 and experiencing a 23-run defeat.
“Chamari is an amazing player and you saw how difficult it was when a left-hander and a right-hander were batting together, of the quality of Smriti [Mandhana] and Ellyse Perry. And they are able to access the short side of the ground.”
“That was one of the reasons why we picked Chamari, to be able to access the short side of the ground for both the right and the left-hander. So to lose her in that way was incredibly frustrating,” Lewis added.
The Warriorz’s loss wasn’t solely attributed to that incident. Ample time existed for the middle order to make a recovery, but the challenges persisted in that phase. Additionally, RCB’s total of 199 proved to be an above-average score, aided by several fielding mistakes.
“A really interesting part of the game”- Warriorz coach
Continuing his remarks, Lewis refrained from criticizing Hawk-Eye, as some have done recently in various formats, but emphasized the sentiments of his team.
“I don’t know the ins and outs of Hawk-Eye and the technology and how it works. But it was certainly an interesting passage of play, and something that we are pretty frustrated about.”
The Warriorz are scheduled to encounter the Mumbai Indians on Thursday, March 7.
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