WTF…
Jack Leach may have taken the most bizarre wicket of all time for England on Day One of the Third Test against New Zealand on Thursday.
New Zealand were 123-4 at the time as Leach stepped up to bowl. The slow left-arm spinner delivered the ball towards the bat of Henry Nicholls, who then looked to hit long in search of runs.
But in a random twist of fate, the ball hit the bat of Nicholls’ fellow parter, Daryl Mitchell before bouncing up into the air and landed in the arms of Alex Lees.
Leach couldn’t believe what had happened (and neither can anyone else, tbf) as he wasn’t sure if Nicholls was out, but after reassurance from captain Ben Stokes who told him “It’s out! It’s out!” before laughing.
What the fuck just happened 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Q1TyJdUFN4
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOE_UK) June 23, 2022
It’s without doubt one of the most obscure ways to take a wicket and in some respects, you do have to feel sorry for Nicholls, who left the crease.
The MCC clarified that the dismissal was legal, despite how unfortunate it may have been. They tweeted: “An unfortunate dismissal? Yes. But wholly within the Laws.
“Law 33.2.2.3 states it will be out if a fielder catches the ball after it has touched the wicket, an umpire, another fielder, a runner or the other batter.”
An unfortunate dismissal? Yes. But wholly within the Laws.
Law 33.2.2.3 states it will be out if a fielder catches the ball after it has touched the wicket, an umpire, another fielder, a runner or the other batter.
Read the Law: https://t.co/cCBoJd6xOSpic.twitter.com/eKiAWrbZiI
— Marylebone Cricket Club (@MCCOfficial) June 23, 2022
Former England captain and Sky Sports commentator Michael Atherton said he had ‘never seen anything like it’ before.
He said: “I’ve never seen anything like that. And particularly cruel for Nicholls, who was looking a bit out of sorts, battling away.
“He finally gets one out of the middle of the bat, and then Mitchell, trying desperately to get out of the way, couldn’t have placed that in the hands of Alex Lees any better if he tried! An unbelievable moment.”
When your luck has run out, it really has run out.
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