Adam Zampa on Tuesday (January 3) took the cricketing world by storm with his attempt to run out Tom Rogers at the non-striker's end during the BBL 12 game between Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades at MCG.
The incident happened in Zampa's final over of the Renegades' innings. Before Zampa bowled the delivery, Tom Rogers had stolen his ground by backing up too far and he was rightly run out by the bowler.
However, the batter was given out as TV umpire informed the on-field umpire that Zampa had finished his action before running Rogers out after watching many replays.
While Stars head coach David Hussey mentioned during the chase that they would have withdrawn their appeal had the third umpire given it out, Zampa said a decision wasn't needed as the standing umpire made it clear from the outset that it was not out.
"I'm not sure what decision I would have went with once the ruling had been made," Zampa said after Stars' 33-run loss.
"But basically, Gerard said straight away 'you finished your action, I don't think it's out' so it didn't matter.
"As soon as Gerard said that I knew it wasn't going to be out because I'd known how far my arm had come over.
"I didn't know the (vertical) rule, I thought you actually had to let the ball go … but apparently it's if you've finished your action and they can assume you've bowled the ball then they're allowed to leave the crease."
Zampa admitted he "saw red a little bit" but insisted he was within his rights to pull off the dismissal that has now been legalized by the ICC.
"I was well within my rights to do it, it's in the rulebook," he said.
"Mackenzie Harvey had just hit the ball and it felt like he was three metres away from Mackenzie.
"I bowled a good ball to Mackenzie Harvey, which probably should have been one if he hadn't done that.
"So I thought before that ball that if he doesn't want to be on strike, I'll make it a bit easier for him."
Adam Zampa didn't rule out attempting this mode of dismissal again if presented with a similar opportunity.
"It's building up the rivalry as well, it always feels like something happens in these games that you can talk about for a while, and this is probably going to be it now, isn't it?" he stated.
(cricket.com.au inputs)
