BBL 2023-24: Moises Henriques opens up on controversial Thomas Rogers dismissal

In a clash between the Melbourne Stars and the Sydney Sixers, it wasn't just the victory that stole the spotlight. Moises Henriques, the Sixers captain, found himself at the centre of a heated debate over a catch that eventually dismissed Thomas Rogers.

Leaping high at mid-off, Henriques claimed a catch that left spectators in awe, but it didn't take long for controversy to rear its head. The slow-motion replay sparked a discussion on whether Henriques had cleanly taken the ball or if it had made contact with the turf.

According to cricket's rulebook, a catch is only valid when the fielder is in full control of their body, ensuring the ball doesn't touch the ground during the process. The third umpire, Claire Polosak, had a tough call to make with a soft decision given out on the field. After a careful review, she deemed there wasn't enough evidence to overturn the decision, leaving Henriques in the clear.

"I obviously felt it was out," Henriques asserted after the game as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "I felt I had complete control over the ball ... I felt like the ball was never going to come out once I had landed. I didn't really get a good look at the replay to be honest because I was off with the physio at the time. I was surprised when they told me they were checking. I just thought it was out. There was never a bobble in the hand or anything. So it felt pretty clean to me."

This incident stirred memories of Mitchell Starc's controversial catch during the Ashes, reigniting the ongoing debate about grey areas in cricket's laws. Henriques acknowledged the similarities, and the challenge in defining catches when fielders believe they have control, even if the laws suggest otherwise.

"I thought Mitch's was out as well at Lord's as well, and I obviously felt mine was out," said Henriques. "It's a bit of a grey area at the moment in the game. Back in the day, those types of dismissals are just called out all the time. But obviously now with the video rate is bigger and clearer than ever, they can really slow that down and have a big look at it."

"I'm not sure that if there's a little bit of a finger under the ball, if that's out. Or if you're still holding the ball completely, or if you're using the ground to control the ball, then maybe that shouldn't be out. But I felt like I never lost control of the ball," he added.

Adding to the drama, Henriques suffered a left shoulder injury during the catch but continued on the field. The Sixers now anxiously await his recovery ahead of their clash with the Sydney Thunder on Saturday.