Sydney Thunder coach Shane Bond has taken aim at Big Bash officials after his side's charge towards victory ended in darkness and a farcical no result when half of the Gabba lost power.
Brisbane Heat batsman and former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum. Photo: Photosport
Needing 187 for victory after a historic Shane Watson Big Bash century, the Brisbane Heat were 2-10 after three overs when an east Brisbane power outage stopped play.
Five overs are needed in a run chase to constitute a game, leaving the Thunder short of what appeared an easy two points given Brendon McCullum and Chris Lynn were already dismissed.
With no sign of the power returning, the frustrated Thunder coach offered to bowl only spinners in a last-ditch effort to continue.
But it was refused by the Heat, with coach Daniel Vettori arguing he wanted consistent conditions and the umpires deeming the conditions unsafe for players and spectators.
Power then cruelly returned to the ground four minutes after play was abandoned, leaving Bond adamant officials had missed a trick.
"People want to see cricket, they don't turn up here to see officials making phone calls and not having the nuts to make a decision," he said.
"It's not an easy job but there's been some howlers (this season) and it was a chance tonight for them to do the right thing given the circumstances.
"They (the Heat) obviously didn't want to play because they were in a bit of crap, which is fair enough, we would've done the same."
Bond and Vettori played for New Zealand together but on Thursday night didn't see eye to eye, with Vettori saying he was simply following the umpires' advice.
"Obviously they wanted to play, they well ahead of the game, they dominated it," he said.
"But the two independent officials deemed it not safe for conditions.
"I think we took the cues from the match referee and the umpires."
Both teams collected a point, denying the third-placed Thunder a chance to move into second and keeping the sixth-placed Heat in touch with the top four.
Fans were left to amuse themselves, even jokingly turning on their phones' torch lights in an effort to get play back underway.
Earlier Watson had become the oldest BBL centurion at 37, smoking 100 off 62 balls at the former Queensland and Australian allrounder's old stomping ground.
In doing so he became the first to notch three figures in the BBL, IPL and for Australia in a T20.
- AAP
