WBBL 2023: Brisbane Heat charged with five penalty runs after Amelia Kerr catches ball with towel

Cricket may look like a complicated game to the people watching it for the first time but for die-hard fans of this sport, it is one of the best and pure forms of entertainment. The game that looks like a simple contest between the bat and a ball has many intricacies attached to it that it sometimes leaves some of the ardent fans of the sport bewildered.

 
After the Timed-Out fiasco that took place between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the ODI World Cup 2023, another incident took place in the Women’s Big Bash League when the fielding team was charged with 5 penalty runs as the bowler caught a return throw from the fielder with a towel in her hands.

The match was played between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers, where the Sixers were chasing a target of 177 runs in 20 overs, and in the 10th over of the game, Ashleigh Gardener played a shot down on the bowling of all-rounder Amelia Kerr to the long on the area for a single and the long on fielder returned the ball but accidentally Amelia Kerr grabbed the throw from the fielder with a black towel in the hand.

Brisbane Heat charged with five penalty runs

The on-field umpire noticed it immediately and gave a five-run penalty to the fielding team. The whole incident took the bowler and the fielding team by surprise but nothing could have been done as it was well within the laws.

According to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) rules, "No fielder other than the wicket-keeper shall be permitted to wear gloves or external leg guards.  In addition, protection for the hand or fingers may be worn only with the consent of the umpires."

"If a fielder uses "his/her clothing with his/her hands and uses this to field the ball," then the umpire shall "award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side."

The whole incident overshadowed Amelia Kerr's beautiful show with the bat as she scored 64 runs to take Brisbane Heat to a good total of 174 runs with Mignon du Preez also chipping in with a handy 42 runs. Ellyse Perry took three and Charlie Knott took 2 wickets each for the Sixers. Sydney Sixers managed to chase down the total with 1 ball to spare courtesy of Ashleign Gardner and Erin Burns 36 and 35 runs respectively.