Australia’s Marcus Stoinis speaks to the umpire after losing his wicket, caught by South Africa’s Quinton de Kock off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada as Marnus Labuschagne looks on, during the ICC Cricket World Cup match in Lucknow on October 12, 2023
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne said the team would seek clarity from World Cup match officials about the controversial manner in which Marcus Stoinis was given out following a review in their heavy defeat by South Africa on Thursday.

All-rounder Stoinis was adjudged caught behind off a Kagiso Rabada delivery during the 18th over of Australia’s unsuccessful chase of 312 after a review of the call by the on-field umpire, despite the batsman’s bottom hand looking to be off the bat as the ball struck his glove.

Third umpire Richard Kettleborough adjudged that although Stoinis’ right glove was off the bat handle, it was in contact with the left one which was holding on to the bat. But TV replays appeared to show a gap between the gloves.

“The hand’s connected to his top hand, therefore in contact with the bat and we’ve got a clear spike,” Kettleborough said as he asked on-field umpire Joel Wilson to reverse his original decision and give the batsman out.

A shocked Stoinis spoke with the on-field umpires before eventually leaving for the dugout.

“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,” Australia batsman Labuschagne said.

“Obviously, in the situation we were 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.”

Labuschagne, whose 46 was the only notable score in the 134-run defeat, said Australia were disappointed at not putting up a fight in their loss to India in Chennai and again in Lucknow and sought a response when they meet Sri Lanka on Monday.

“I’d consider us one of the top sides and it’s disappointing that we haven’t competed in the last two games,” he added. “But we’ve got to make sure we’re learning from these scenarios.

“We faced probably two polar opposite extremes, heavy spin conditions against probably three of the best, well, two of the best spinners India’s ever produced and probably one of the best white ball spinners and then here against the seaming swinging ball against a team that’s also good in those conditions.

“So, we’ve got to get better and we’ve got to make sure that we come back stronger for the next fixture.”

Australia’s Travis Head leaves the field after receiving medical attention during the fourth ODI cricket match between South Africa and Australia in Pretoria, South Africa, on September 15, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

Travis Head’s participation at next month’s World Cup has been thrown into uncertainty after the Australian opener fractured his left hand during the fourth ODI against South Africa.

Head was struck on the on the left glove by a short delivery from Proteas seamer Gerald Coetzee in the seventh over in the fourth ODI here on Friday.

The 29-year-old faced three more deliveries but looked in discomfort and was forced to retire hurt in Australia’s massive 164-run loss.

“It’s a confirmed fracture,” Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said at the post match conference.

“As to the nature of what sort of time frame that lends itself to, that will be assessed tomorrow,” he added More scans on Saturday will reveal the extent of the injury.

“He’s going to go in for more scans tomorrow to get a detail of that, then we’ll work out the management of it from there.

“I’m not a medical person but I think it’s a bit higher up than the finger itself … it’s in a joint (in the hand) somewhere. Fingers crossed with the World Cup fast approaching,” McDonald added.

The injury throws Australia’s plans into disarray with only weeks to go for the World Cup in India, starting on October 5.

If Head misses the start of the World Cup, Mitchell Marsh could be elevated to the opening position given his good run at the top in the series against India earlier this year.

However, should Head be ruled out of the tournament, Australian selectors might be tempted to add the in-form Marnus Labuschagne in the squad.

Australia take on India in Chennai on October 8 in their tournament opener.

The last date to make changes to the squad is September 28, post which any changes would need approval from the ICC.