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Wildermuth’s removal a clear-cut call

Brisbane Heat paceman’s spell ends with one ball remaining after two deliveries above the waist to Luke Wright

The umpires had no choice but to remove Jack Wildermuth from the bowling attack after the Brisbane Heat allrounder sent down two deliveries above waist height in last night’s KFC Big Bash League fixture against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG.

Bowling his fourth over – and the 18th of the innings – Wildermuth’s fourth ball was ruled a no ball and was subsequently bunted down the ground for two runs by Stars opener Luke Wright.

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But the 23-year-old again lost his radar on what was meant to be the final delivery of his spell, with a beamer leaving Wright swaying backward and leading to the paceman’s removal from the attack.

Umpire Mike Graham-Smith was forced to call two no balls in the over, with Ben Cutting called up to bowl the final ‘free hit’ delivery.

Wildermuth, who has eight wickets at 25.25 from seven appearances for the competition leader in BBL|06, finished with 1-32 from 3.5 overs.

Wildermuth removed from the Heat attack

According to Law 42.6 (b) in the BBL playing conditions, “In the event of a bowler bowling a high full pitched ball as defined in playing condition 42.2(b)(ii) (i.e. a beamer), the umpire at the bowler’s end shall, in the first instance, call and signal no ball and when the ball is dead, caution the bowler and issue a first and final warning. The umpire shall inform the other umpire, the captain of the fielding side and the batsmen at the wicket of what has occurred.”

Wildermuth’s two illegal deliveries occurred in the same over and triggered his immediate removal from the bowling crease.

Under ICC rules, a bowler can be given a caution and then a final warning during an innings, with a third incident leading to a suspension from the attack.

“When we get the first full toss above waist height, we give the bowler his first and final warning for dangerous and unfair bowling,” Graham-Smith explained to bigbash.com.au.

“So when we get a second one they're removed from the attack.

“There was one ball left to go, so we had Ben Cutting come on and bowl that final delivery.”

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While Wildermuth was apologetic following his second no ball, Graham-Smith said he did not feel the conditions had played a significant role in his slip up.

“Wildermuth did say that the second (delivery) slipped but we don't take that into consideration when it comes to dangerous and unfair bowling,” he said.

“I didn't see too much evidence of (wet conditions), we've had a little bit of dew maybe but there wasn't too much around.”

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Last weekend, Brisbane Heat’s Haidee Birkett was pulled out of the attack after bowling two high full tosses against the Renegades in their Rebel Women’s Big Bash League clash at Allan Border Field, with India star Smriti Mandhana coming on to complete the final five balls of Birkett’s third over.

The rules also apply to slow bowlers, although they are given more leniency.

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Ultimately, the umpires make the final call on whether a delivery should be regarded as dangerous.

While Wildermuth was left red-faced, the Heat moved to the top of the BBL ladder courtesy of the seven-wicket win over the Stars and became the first team to rubberstamp a berth in this season’s finals.