‘Bold call’ – Surrey’s Jamie Smith reacts to umpire’s decision to halt Blast clash with Sussex
Surrey’s Jamie Smith says it was bold of the umpires to call a halt to Sunday’s Vitality Blast clash with Sussex, just one ball away from the match being deemed a contest.
The decision came shortly after Sussex batsmen Phil Salt and Luke Wright had both been struck on the helmet by rearing deliveries from Gus Atkinson and Kyle Jamieson respectively.
With one ball remaining to be bowled in the fifth over of the Sharks’ response, Paul Baldwin and Tim Robinson felt it had become wet enough for common sense to prevail and led the players from the field.
They did not return, resulting in the two teams sharing the spoils, even though Sussex were ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis par score when the umpires intervened.
“It was a pretty bold call, but probably the right one,” said Smith. “It rained for the majority of our innings as well. If we had gone out for the extra ball we probably would have lost, which wouldn’t have been fair on us. So, yes, a bold call, but probably a correct one.”
The 20-year-old keeper-batsman, who made a T20 career best 57 off 43 balls in Surrey’s 175-7, added: “We finished off our innings well and to get 175 on that wicket was a good score. It was slightly stoppy at times and it wasn’t the easiest.
“When we came back out [to field] the wicket seemed to speed up quite nicely because of the rain, which made it easier for batting.
“I’ve been batting pretty well in the last couple of games without pushing on. It’s always nice to get a fifty and to contribute to the team. It would have been nice to kick on and get slightly more.
“I was disappointed I didn’t quite have the acceleration to get an eighty or a hundred, which would have been nice. But I can’t complain.”
Looking ahead to tonight’s (Tuesday) trip to Glamorgan, with Surrey sitting third in the South Group, Smith said: “We definitely want more of the same. We’re looking to push on to secure a home quarter-final, so the three games coming up on the road are really important. If we come away with six points we’ll be really pleased.”
Surrey all-rounder Jordan Clark (below) missed the visit to Hove, due to the birth of his first child. With Clark on paternity leave, fast bowler Conor McKerr has returned from a seven-match spell on loan at Derbyshire.
PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
