Watch: ‘Has the captain called him back?’ – Jake Fraser-McGurk was allowed to continue batting after being given out in the Sheffield Shield match between Victoria and South Australia at the Adelaide Oval.
Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match analysis, player interviews, and much more.
A month after blasting the fastest ever List A century off just 29 balls, Fraser-McGurk smashed another blazing ton for South Australia but this time in the Sheffield Shield. In reply to Victoria’s 278, he hit 12 boundaries during his 106-ball 101 to rescue South Australia from 16-4 to 252-all-out.
However, the innings started on a controversial note when he was given out on 19, caught at slip by Peter Handscomb while attempting a cover drive against left-arm spinner Doug Warren. Although the Victorians rejoiced at the umpire’s decision, Fraser-McGurk didn’t leave the crease before being allowed to continue with his batting by the opposition.
Fraser-McGurk explained what happened after play. He said: “I missed it by probably three feet, it spun a fair bit and I think it came off Sam Harper’s glove before Peter Handscomb caught it. Sometimes they (opposition teams) are just like ‘yay’ … and it could have been not a serious appeal, but then the umpire’s starting to nod his head and I was a bit in disbelief.
“So I started walking off, then seconds later he (umpire Michael Graham-Smith) changes his decision and the Vic boys weren’t too happy with that because they think they had a few unlucky decisions.
“But that’s the game, and in the end it was the right umpiring call and that’s what you want.”
The reprieve allowed the high rated Fraser-McGurk to eventually compile his first hundred in first-class cricket.
Watch Jake Fraser-McGurk get a reprieve | Sheffield Shield 2023/24
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
