Two tangentially related things happened at tonight’s Big Bash League match-up between the Adelaide Strikers and the Melbourne Renegades.
- ‘Gades batsman Chris Gayle smashed the equal fastest Twenty20 50 in history, including four massive sixes in a row in his side’s 143 all-out loss;
- Reporter Mel McLaughlin told co-panelist / actual Australian sporting icon Mark Waugh she’d buy him a drink following a brief on-air kerfuffle.
Guess which one of these two nifty lil’ items sparked Twitter’s attention. Go on. Guess.
#BBL05 Mel McLaughlin offers to buy a drink! @BBL double standards? @henrygayle @tensporttv #dontblushbaby pic.twitter.com/Q29E3UWcim
— MSM (@MarkStevenMcK) January 18, 2016
Of course.
Notwithstanding the lightning-quick reflexes McLaughlin shows after she realised that perhaps, just perhaps, the howling maw that is the internet may misinterpret the incident, real people are saying things like this:
#BBL05 @Mel_Mclaughlin maybe Mark Waugh doesn’t want to go for a drink? Shouldn’t have to put up with that at work. #dontblushbaby
— Marcus Copsey (@copsey2468) January 18, 2016
@RenegadesBBL @henrygayle Meanwhile back in the studio Mel McLaughlin is offering to buy Mark Waugh a drink! #disgraceful #dontblushbaby
— Josh Denney (@joshuakdenney) January 18, 2016
shame on you @Mel_Mclaughlin #BBL05 double standards @tensporttv 10k fine Shame Shame Shame
— Steve (@SPH1967) January 18, 2016
So it is ok for you to hit on and flirt? Asking them out for a drink? But it not ok for someone to ask you out? Wtf? @Mel_Mclaughlin #BBL05
— Mark Johnson (@mark198170) January 18, 2016
Yep @tensporttv brushing under the carpet RT @quaz4: Anyone else notice what mel mclaughlin just said? “I’ll buy you a drink” #BBL #BBL05
— Westy (@westy5) January 18, 2016
It was some particularly awkward timing for the presenter, but still:
Anyway, the Strikers, who have won 7 of their last 8 matches, will take on the Sydney Thunder in January 21’s semi-final. The Renegades are done for the season. Unlike this bloody story.
Source: Matt King / Getty / Twitter.
