Watch: Seren Smale was left baffled after being given out lbw in England’s U19 Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final against Australia, despite the ball seemingly hitting her glove before ricocheting off her pad onto her bat and then stumps in a bizarre dismissal.
Already three down in their knockout match against Australia, Smale came in early in the fourth over looking to rebuild with captain Grace Scrivens in at the other end. The wicketkeeper-batter was scoring at a run a ball on ten when the odd dismissal occurred in the sixth over.
Australia off-spinner Ella Hayward was drafted into the attack for the first time in the match, Scrivens taking a single off her first ball to leave Smale on strike. Setting up to play a reverse sweep to a ball targeted at her stumps, she seemed to catch the ball with the under-edge of her glove having misjudged its length. The ball then deflected onto her bent back leg before deflecting onto the lower half of her bat, trickling onto the stumps but failing to dislodge the bails.
As both Hayward and Australia keeper Paris Hall gave animated appeals, umpire Candace La Borde raised her finger to give Smale out lbw.
Incredulous that she had been given out despite the ball taking a big deflection off her glove, Smale was baffled at the other end and gestured towards her bat to illustrate to La Borde that she had hit it. Nevertheless, the decision had been made and Smale had to walk off the field.
It was a successful over for Australia, as Ryana MacDonald-Gay was bowled by Hayward for a duck three balls later – leaving England 28-4. England were eventually bowled out for 99 with one ball remaining in their innings.
Watch Smale’s bizarre dismissal below
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