Watch: This 'Spirit Of Cricket' Moment In Australia's Sheffield Shield Wins Over Internet
Victoria were on the receiving end of some huge praise for their act of sportsmanship against South Australia batter Jake Fraser-McGurk during Day 2 of their Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday
Victoria were on the receiving end of some huge praise for their act of sportsmanship against South Australia batter Jake Fraser-McGurk during Day 2 of their Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday. Fraser-McGurk, who went on to score a century eventually, was adjudged to have been caught at first slip when he was batting on 19. With South Australia 4/60, Fraser-McGurk seemed to have edged Doug Warren's delivery to Peter Handscomb at first slip. While the umpire did give Fraser-McGurk his marching orders, the batter was adamant that he had not touched the ball.
The replays, however, showed his bat was nowhere near the ball, with the deflection seemingly coming off the gloves of Victoria wicketkeeper Sam Harper into the hands of Handscomb.
"I don't know if he hit that," former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga said on-air.
However, Victoria skipper Will Sutherland, after some discussions with his teammates, decided to call Fraser-McGurk back to the crease.
"It's almost like the captain's maybe called him back?" Olonga added.
"Has the captain called him back? What's going on?
"We definitely saw the finger go up to give him out."
Bizarre scenes at Adelaide Oval as Jake Fraser-McGurk is given out caught, but is allowed to keep batting moments later #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/WaDPTGYkt3
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 29, 2023
Here's how Internet reacted:
Good from the fielding captain.
— Dylan Noronha (@DylanNoronha) November 29, 2023
Some Aussies do understand the Spirit of the Game.
— left arm average (@aaabenjwhite) November 29, 2023
Whoever called him back well done. Clearly didn't hit it.
— Ray Picker (@ray_picker) November 29, 2023
Great sportsmanship
— Bakkus (@BakkusDJ) November 29, 2023
Fraser-McGurk, a former Victorian, had moved to South Australia during the off season.
The 21-year-old saved the day for his side with his 101 off 106 balls. However, Victoria (278) still managed to take a 26-run lead in the first innings as South Australia were bowled out for 252.
On Day 1, Harper scored the third-fastest century recorded in Sheffield Shield history.
He came to the crease with Victoria 5-67 but scored a 64-ball ton to take his team to a total of 278.
Only South Australia's David Hookes (off 34 balls against Victoria in 1982) and Western Australia's Luke Ronchi (off 51 balls against Queensland in 2007) have scored faster centuries than Harper.