Australia, the five-time World Cup champions, faced off against South Africa in their second game of the eagerly awaited 2023 ODI World Cup at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Unfortunately, they endured a tough loss, falling short by 134 runs on a Wednesday.
The Proteas took the first turn with the bat, managing to put up a total of 311 runs within their permitted 50 overs. As for the Australians, their chase got off to a difficult start, losing both of their opening batsmen with only 27 runs on the board. The arrival of Steven Smith, after the fall of the first wicket, brought hope into their innings. He unleashed some amazing strokes but eventually got eliminated by Kagiso Rabada.
Smith’s departure was quite a surprise. He failed to connect with a short-of-length delivery angling in, originally thinking it might have missed the leg stump. However, Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma were confident it was out and opted for a review. Astonishingly, the ball-tracking technology revealed that it would have hit the leg stump. Despite Smith’s hesitation, he had to leave the field.
This change in the game was a bombshell for Smith and gave South Africa a considerable lead. Smith had shuffled across the crease, making it seem like the ball was going wide of the leg stump. Yet, there wasn’t even a slight opportunity for the umpire’s call to save him; there were three reds on the screen. This dismissal turned out to be a pivotal moment and a huge setback for Australia.
In the same match, another disputed judgment pushed the function of the TV umpire into the forefront. Marcus Stoinis, the Australian all-rounder, found himself in the middle of controversy when he was ruled out and caught behind during Australia’s chase.
Stoinis was at the crease in the 18th over, facing a fast delivery from Kagiso Rabada. A diving catch by Quinton de Kock down the leg side resulted in Stoinis heading back to the pavilion. South Africa elected to review, as UltraEdge technology revealed a minor touch of the ball against Stoinis’ bottom hand.
However, the true drama developed when the third umpire, Richard Kettleborough, got involved. Despite Stoinis seemingly releasing his grasp on the bat handle, Kettleborough decided that the right glove was still in contact with the left, which was in contact with the bat. Consequently, Stoinis was given out, having scored just five runs, leaving many, including Stoinis himself, bewildered by the judgment.
Also Read: South Africa Thrashed Australia In The World Cup Match
Australia lost the game to South Africa by a 134-run margin. This loss was a historic moment, as it was the first time in nearly three decades that the five-time champion experienced defeat in its first two games of a World Cup, a streak that has extended over four consecutive World Cups since the 2019 edition.
