The Melbourne Renegades looked to keep their season alive in the final game of the Big Bash regular season as they welcomed the Brisbane Heat to Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
But the Renegades’ bid for victory took an almighty blow in the 12th over when skipper Will Sutherland was forcibly removed from the bowling attack by umpire Donovan Koch.
The reason why Sutherland had to withdraw from the attack was because he ran over the protected area on the wicket.
The protected area is an imaginary rectangle in the middle of the wicket bowlers must keep away from.
It’s deemed a protected area so one team does not unfairly damage the pitch to make it more difficult for the opposition when it is their turn to bat.
Sutherland was warned by Koch in the opening over regarding running onto the protected area.
But Koch would have no more of it halfway through the Heat’s innings.
The controversy sparked a puzzled reaction from former Australian internationals David Warner and Brad Haddin.
“This is outrageous,” Warner told Fox Cricket.