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Umpiring error costs Starc two runs in final over

It mattered little to the end result, but replays show the final ball of the fourth T20 in St Lucia going for four, not six as signalled

Mitchell Starc's match-winning final over against the West Indies in St Lucia would have been even better if not for an ultimately inconsequential umpiring error from the final ball of the match.

Needing to defend 11 runs from the last over, Starc delivered a death-bowling masterclass against West Indian Andre Russell as Australia held on to win by four runs in the fourth game of the five-match series.

However, closer inspection shows the victory margin should have been six runs after Russell was incorrectly awarded a six from the final ball of the match instead of a four.

Image Id: 17D310D18E5A4257AC5AA7C9BF14F53A Image Caption: The final ball of the match shown landing inside the boundary rope // Fox Cricket

With the match already in Australia's keeping with one delivery to go, Starc's final ball was lofted high onto the leg side by Russell and the umpire signalled six as the Australians celebrated the win.

However, closer inspection shows the ball landed a few feet inside the boundary rope.

The commentators even remarked at the time that the ball had gone for four, even though the umpire can be seen signalling six.

Image Id: DC23946DA8A74B9BBD87F4642CECAAF2 Image Caption: The umpire signals six as Starc celebrates the win // Fox Cricket

Several online scoring platforms, including cricket.com.au and the ICC's website, recorded the delivery as a six due to the umpire's signal, while others recorded it as a four.

Several social media users were then quick to pick up on the discrepancy.

But the Marylebone Cricket Club, the game's law-makers, confirmed to cricket.com.au that unless any umpiring error is quickly rectified on the field, it cannot be changed retrospectively.

Law 2.12 states: "An umpire may alter any decision provided that such alteration is made promptly. This apart, an umpire's decision, once made, is final".

There is also no provision in the Laws for the final victory margin to be changed after the fact, as long as any error has no impact on the result.

Law 16.10 states: "Once the umpires have agreed with the scorers the correctness of the scores at the conclusion of the match – see Laws 2.15 (Correctness of scores) and 3.2 (Correctness of scores) – the result cannot thereafter be changed".

The final victory margin of four runs also created confusion about the penultimate delivery of the game, when Russell hit the ball into the leg-side and, having set off for a run, was shown on the broadcast scrambling back into his crease at the striker's end.

When the final delivery was shown to have gone for four, there was seemingly an incorrect assumption on some platforms that Russell had in fact scrambled two from the penultimate ball, which explained the final victory margin.

However, cricket.com.au has confirmed that no runs were taken from that penultimate ball of the match.

Marsh masterclass breaks drought as Aussies win thriller

It's worth pointing out that the ruling on the final ball had no impact on the result of the match and the Australian players were seemingly either unaware of or unconcerned by the decision.

Also, had the final delivery been consequential to the result of the game, it's highly likely that the third umpire would have been called upon to adjudicate such a tight call, in which case the correct decision would have been made.

But, as in keeping with the Laws, the final result stands – Australia win by four runs instead of six, Russell finishes on 24 not out instead of 22 not out, and Starc's figures are 0-37, not 0-35.

And having expertly led his side to its first win of the tour, we're not expecting Starc will mind too much.

Qantas Tour of the West Indies 2021

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Wes Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Dan Christian, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserves: Nathan Ellils, Tanveer Sangha.

West Indies T20 squad: Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran (vc), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr

T20 series
(all matches at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia)

First T20: West Indies won by 18 runs

Second T20: West Indies won by 56 runs

Third T20: West Indies won by six wickets

Fourth T20: Australia won by four runs

Fifth T20: July 17, 9.30am AEST (July 16, 7.30pm local)

ODI series
(all matches at Kensington Oval, Barbados)

First ODI (D/N): July 21, 4.30am AEST (July 20, 2.30pm local)

Second ODI (D/N): July 23, 4.30am AEST (July 22, 2.30pm local)

Third ODI (D/N): July 25, 4.30am AEST (July 24, 2.30pm local)

* Details of five-match T20 tour of Bangladesh are yet to be announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. Tours are subject to agreement on bio-security arrangements and relevant government approvals.