RAIN MARS TWENTY20 CUP MATCHES
THE opening round GCA 2 Twenty20 clash between Highton and Murgheboluc ended in farcical circumstances at McDonald Reserve last night, with the result left undeclared following a rain interruption in the seventeenth over of the home team’s run chase.
Having been set 165 for victory by Murgheboluc, the Heat found itself at 7-142 when play was abandoned due to rain.
Under run rate rules, many at the ground believed the Frogs’ score should have been recalculated to 139.4, giving Highton a narrow victory.
But with the officiating umpire conceding he was unaware how the wording of the applicable GCA rule should be interpreted, it was decided that the result should be left to the GCA to determine this week.
Highton coach Hayden Murrell said while he was not across the rules himself, the match should have been able to be determined immediately.
“It is interesting. It was probably about 50-50 in that last over so we might have got out of jail a little bit because we didn’t have many wickets left in hand,” Murrell said.
“We were cruising but it was going to go down to the wire either way.
“It is a bit disappointing not knowing the result but I guess we’ll find out. I’m not that up to date with the rules but you would like to be able to know either way, so it should be pretty clear where you can just look at the rules and know the result and move on.”
Highton had been cruising to victory at 3-133 but the loss of four wickets inside four overs left them precariously placed with three overs to play as the rain came pelting down.
In Division 1 action, Leopold claimed an 11-run victory over South Barwon thanks largely to the efforts of opening batsmen Hayden Butterworth (71 not out) and Corey Ogle (47).