Stoinis dismissal ‘confusing’, says Labuschagne after record Australia loss

LUCKNOW (AFP): Marnus Labuschagne said the TV umpire’s decision to give Marcus Stoinis out caught behind during Australia’s record-breaking World Cup defeat by South Africa on Thursday was “confusing”.

Stoinis was dismissed for five, caught down the leg-side off Kagiso Rabada, to leave Australia 70-6 in their doomed chase of 312 to win.

Labuschagne was at the other end and said the players in the middle were bemused by the decision, with some replays appearing to show the ball hit Stoinis’ glove while it was off the bat.

“It was certainly confusing and I’m sure we’ll get clarity or we’re going to seek for clarity because it’s a World Cup and we don’t want small decisions that can be avoided to change the outcomes of games,” said Labuschagne, who was later out for 46 as Australia were thrashed by 134 runs to slip to a second straight group-stage loss.

“Obviously in the situation we’re in it’s hard to say that it was going to change the outcome but for the future you certainly want to make sure we get them right.”

Steve Smith also looked unhappy at being given out lbw, although the Hawkeye system showed the ball, also from Rabada, was crashing into leg stump.

“I haven’t seen the final footage but it looked like it must have hit him on leg and then almost straightened onto the stumps,” said Labuschagne.

“It just wasn’t what it felt like out there but once again I can’t argue with technology or not right now.”

Five-time world champions Australia are next in action against Sri Lanka on Monday and desperately need a win against another side yet to notch a victory.

“The reason Australia has won the World Cup five times, is because we play well under pressure and we haven’t started well, but this is the beginning not the end,” insisted Labuschagne.

Meanwhile Rabada believed the ball hit Stoinis’s bat handle on the way through to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.

However, there had been a temporary moment of doubt.

“Initially I thought it hit his thigh pad and my teammates around me felt that they heard a woody sound,” said the fast bowler who finished with 3-33.

“Stoinis didn’t look so convincing. I think he looked as if he touched it. I guess the controversy was around the fact that his hand was off the bat when the ball made contact with his glove.

“But we thought it was the bat handle. Again, that’s not up to us. We reviewed it and the umpires made a decision.”