WBBL 2023: Sydney Sixers get five penalty runs as Amelia Kerr uses towel to collect the ball

The Match 49 of the Women’s Big Bash League 2023 saw a bizarre moment as Brisbane Heat were penalized for five runs after Amelia Kerr caught the ball using a towel. The incident took place on the second ball of the tenth over as Ashleigh Gardner played the ball towards long-on for a single. The fielder collected the ball and threw it towards the non-striker’s end where Kerr collected it using a towel. The umpire took notice of the incident and immediately awarded five runs to Sydney Sixers.

 Watch the incident here:

It was an epic brain fade moment from the New Zealand cricketer which ended up costing five extra runs to her team. According to MCC Law 28.2.1, a fielder will be deemed to have fielded the ball illegally if, while the ball is in play, he/she wilfully uses anything other than part of his/her person to field the ball or extends his/her clothing with his/her hands and uses this to field the ball.

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A collective team effort helps Sydney chase down 177

Hence, Amelia’s act breached the above-mentioned law which resulted in the umpire imposing a five-run penalty on the fielding side as per the rules. Coming back to the match, Kerr’s mistake ended up costing his team dearly as Sydney Sixers ended up winning the match by six wickets chasing down 177 in 19.5 overs. Gardner (36 off 30) and Erin Burns (35 off 20), first added 61 runs for the third wicket to help their team cross the 100-run mark.

Following their dismissals, Mathilda Carmichael (28* off 20) and Maitlan Brown (21* off 15) got involved in an unbeaten 51-run stand for the fifth wicket to help their team get over the line.

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Earlier in the first innings, Amelia Kerr (64 off 44) and Mignon du Preez (42 off 27) guided Brisbane to a good total of 176/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Elysse Perry was the pick of the bowlers for Sixers with her figures of 3/40 in four overs while Jess Kerr (2/20, 4 overs) also picked two wickets.