Australia Women and West Indies Women: Incorrect dimensions of playing field delays the 1st T20I

The Australian Women and the West Indies women got ready to face off in the T20I series after the hosts got whitewashed by the visitors in the recently concluded ODI series. Alyssa Healy, Megan Schutt, and Ellyse Perry starred for the Southern Stars in the 50-over format and were expected to do the same when the 20-over format series rolled in.

The first T20I of the series was played in Barbados which was won by Australia women. West Indies batting collapsed as Megan Schutt continued her good work, picking 3/31 in her four overs. While for the home side, Stafanie Taylor made 44* as the next best score was 15, with the team conjuring up 106/8 in their quota. However, the start of the match was not without drama as there was a delay in the middle of the first over, due to a minute error regarding the inner circle of the field.

Incorrect dimensions of playing field forces delay in the game

After four balls of the first over were bowled by Schutt, in which she picked the wicket of opener Britney Cooper for a duck, the officials were made aware that the dimensions of the playing surface were incorrect. The umpires then had to signal for assistance from the stands. Men’s cricket infield circle will have a radius of 30 yards, whereas Women’s cricket infield circle will have a radius of 25 yards

The officials and the venue’s curator – carrying a measuring tape – were summoned onto the field. The first marker they inspected at backward square leg was estimated to be too far from the pitch, and a five-minute delay followed while the other markers were checked and the distance was corrected, much to the bewilderment of the waiting players.

Umpire Verdayne Smith was heard to say during the remeasuring process, “He measured 30 to start, and I told him it was 25”. Even Southern Stars captain Meg Lanning said that allrounder Jess Jonassen was the first to suspect that the markers were far too away from the pitch. “JJ (Jonassen) was at the point and she came up to me and said she felt like she was really deep. So I asked the umpire and when we had a look it was a couple of meters too deep, it was the men’s circle but once we got that fixed it was all right,” Lanning was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

Meg Lanning scored 54* to anchor the Australian women’s chase, as they reached the target for the loss of just four wickets in the 19th over.