WBBL: Ellyse Perry escapes being run out despite being well short of her crease

The Sydney Sixers Women have had a shaky start to the 2024 edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), having won just two of their first four matches, finding themselves seventh on the points table as a result. They won their clash against the Hobart Hurricanes Women on November 6 (Wednesday), but it could easily have been three defeats from four had Ellyse Perry been rightly ‘run out’ for being short of her crease.

On the third ball of the 20th over of the Sixers’ innings, Perry, stationed at the non-striker’s end, took off for a quick single. But having already faced 59 balls, the veteran was a bit exhausted and, as a result, lethargic as she tried to complete the single. The throw came in from the fielder at short-third, the wicketkeeper took off the bails, and Perry was well short of her crease.

However, despite being well short of her crease, the 34-year-old was not dismissed. 

Why? Because, unfathomably enough, the Hobart Hurricanes Women did not appeal. They did not appeal because they assumed that Perry had made her ground when, in fact, the right-hander was well short.

Could or should the third umpire have intervened? No, because the laws don’t permit that. The law states that a batter cannot be dismissed unless a fielder from the opposition side ‘appeals’ for the dismissal.

According to law 31.1, which falls under ‘appeals’, “neither umpire shall give a batter out, even though he/she may be out under the Laws, unless appealed to by a fielder. This shall not debar a batter who is out under any of the Laws from leaving the wicket without an appeal having been made.”

This is by no means a one-of-a-kind occurrence. Earlier this year, Australia were denied a run out of Alzarri Joseph in a T20I against West Indies for the same reason. By the time the Aussies appealed, the ball had been considered ‘dead’, so Joseph was safe. 

Either way, on the night, the ‘non-appeal’ proved costly for the Hurricanes. While Perry was still at the crease, the Sixers went on to add five more runs. The Hurricanes eventually lost the clash by six runs. 

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