No appeal over McCullum’s ban
The Brisbane Heat will not appeal Cricket Australia’s one-match suspension of captain Brendon McCullum for his team’s slow over rate in the Big Bash League.
The suspension has dealt Brisbane’s title aspirations a massive blow with their Kiwi captain paying the price for the slow over rate in their 27-run loss to Perth on Wednesday.
It was the Heat’s second slow over rate offence of the season.
Queensland Cricket chief executive Max Walters said it was disappointing to lose the former New Zealand Test captain given how well fans have received the Heat’s exciting and attacking brand of play.
However, after reviewing the match, the Heat determined there were no grounds for an appeal and accepted the penalty.
‘‘The Heat have shown that their style of attacking, exciting cricket really resonates with the fans and viewers all over the world and so it is disappointing for them that they will miss seeing one of the game’s best in action in Melbourne next week,’’ he said.
‘‘It is a shame but we accept those are the competition rules we are playing under and reminds us that we can continue to improve in all facets of the game.
Joe Burns will step in as captain while McCullum serves his ban, which was handed down on Thursday for a second breach of the playing conditions this season.
That decision came despite the Heat’s time in the field being affected by a number of stoppages for third umpire decisions and a concussion check for Perth batsman Sam Whiteman.
McCullum was not the only player to be penalised for the team’s slow bowling spell.
The Heat players were fined $1000 each, but that will be reduced to $500 since the team was not appealing the penalty.
The Heat took 96 minutes to complete their bowling innings against the Scorchers, six minutes outside the 90-minute limit imposed by the tournament’s directors.The Heat were previously fined when they exceeded their 90-minute limit against Hobart at the Gabba on December 30 by five-and-a-half minutes.
Any second sanction against a team includes the compulsory one- game suspension of the captain. Before the suspension was handed down, McCullum had called for commonsense.
‘‘We were a little bit late but it’s pretty difficult,’’ he said. ‘‘You get penalised for taking wickets. You get 35,000 people turning up to every game. The product is outstanding.
‘‘We finished 10 minutes early anyway so let’s see what happens. There were some inconsistencies the first time (I was fined).
‘‘If you get suspended, you get suspended. That’s how it is. I hope not. We’re bringing a great product to the table at the moment and we’ll see what unfolds.’’
The suspension left Australian TV commentators angered. They believed removing McCullum would only hurt the tournament.
‘‘It’s ridiculous. We want McCullum playing,’’ guest commentator and national coach Darren Lehmann said.
‘‘Speed it up, fine them all, if it’s that bad, but we want them playing cricket.’’
‘‘Exactly, take it out of his pay packet if it’s that bad,’’ was the reply of former international Mark Waugh.
The Scorchers have replaced the Heat at the top of the BBL standings following Wednesday’s victory and with only two games remaining for Brisbane before the finals, wins are vital.
The loss of big-hitter McCullum for their clash against the Melbourne Stars on January 17 would take on even more meaning after the absence of Chris Lynn was felt in Wednesday’s loss to the Scorchers.
Perth quick Andrew Tye (4-22) claimed a hat-trick to wrap up the win, with only Alex Ross (39) keeping the Heat in the contest as they were all out for 129 in front of a new domestic-record crowd at the Gabba of 34,677.
Without the tournament’s leading run-scorer Lynn due to Australian selection, the Heat fell to their to their worst powerplay score of the season – 3-41.
And after Mitchell Johnson (2-25) tore through the top order with an early wicket-maiden, they never recovered.
McCullum himself could only muster 15 before he became one of three men to be caught by Ashton Agar, who also went for just 14 with the ball from his four overs.