Aaron Finch baffled by lengthy innings changeover as rain thwarts Australia in first T20 v Pakistan

Sport360 staff 12:37 03/11/2019
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  • Australia skipper Aaron Finch.

    Aaron Finch and Australia were left frustrated by the lengthy changeover between innings after rain cost the hosts a chance to win the first T20I against Pakistan in Sydney.

    Rain interruptions had seen the series opener reduced to a 15-over affair with Australia set a target of 119 to win. Openers Aaron Finch and David Warner handed the hosts a rollicking start in the chase with the hosts well placed at 41-0 after just three overs.

    However, rain returned again to spoil the party for Finch’s men with the match ultimately called off without a result. Five overs are the minimum cut-off for the DLS (Duckworth Lewis System) to determine a result in a T20 clash. As such, just two more overs would have seen Australia romp to a comfortable win, barring any disasters, and the 20-minute break for the changeover proved costly in that regard.

    According to ICC rules, the match referee has the power to shorten the innings break to as low as 10 minutes at his discretion. That option, though, was not excercised by former India pacer Javagal Srinath, who was the designated match referee for the first T20.

    “If you’re cutting overs off the game and you still have a 20-minute break it doesn’t make much sense to me,” Finch told broadcasters Fox Sports after the match was called off.

    His frustrations were echoed by Australia’s vice-captain Alex Carey who urged the team to move on.

    “We asked the question on what the changeover would be, and it remains the same,” Carey stated.

    “It’s disappointing to be so close to what might have been. But it is part of the game, we’re all aware of that. It’s one of those things we can’t change.

    “I guess as spectators they would have liked the result. We understand it’s good and bad, we can’t change it.”

    Both sides will now switch their attentions to the second T20 of the three-match series which takes place at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Tuesday.

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