Published: Nov 14, 2018, 02:57 PM (IST)
Edited: Nov 14, 2018, 02:57 PM (IST)
Asked a day ahead of the T20 tour match between the Cricket Australia XI and South Africa in Brisbane on Wednesday about what the biggest lesson learned from his debut international series last month, the rookie Australia batsman Ben McDermott’s reply came easy.
“Not to get run out, for starters.”
McDermott, son of former Australia pace bowler Craig, made an unbeaten 10 in his T20I debut against UAE but was then run out in three successive matches during the 0-3 loss to Pakistan. Scores of 0, 3 and 21 did not dent his spirit, and as the 23-year-old Queensland batsman spoke to reporters ahead of leading CA XI against South Africa, he moved from joking about his unfortunate hat-trick of dismissals and shifted to his vision of representing Australia at next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup.
“Jokes aside, I probably should,” he said.
Cut to game day, and McDermott was run out for the fourth innings in a row. On this occasion, he was out of his crease when teenage batsman Max Bryant thumped the ball back down the pitch to Lungi Ngidi, who got a touch on it before it hit the non-striker’s stumps.
The record for most run-outs in a calendar year in T20Is belongs to New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who in 2012 was dismissed in this manner on five occasions. McDermott has been run out thrice in three successive T20Is, and with Australia facing South Africa in a one-off on Sunday and three later this month versus India, he will be hoping to overcome this odd trend of getting out.
