Cricket has given us innumerable great performances over the years that have become legends. These events and pictures have since endured in memory for a very long time and have frequently served as sources of inspiration and comfort.
Although it hasn’t always been due to their neglect, there have also been times when cricketers haven’t made a name for themselves. Players have occasionally been left stranded because of the route that fortune has taken, usually to the detriment of batters.
The moment is now right to take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the most bizarre dismissals to have taken place on a cricket field as the world prepares itself for further days in isolation amid the coronavirus outbreak.
#10 India vs. Misbah-ul-Haq in 2007 in Delhi
Misbah-ul-Haq had once again attracted the attention of the world in 2007, despite egregiously failing to defeat India in the ICC World T20 final. In line with the foregoing, a few months later, the middle-order batter was able to compete with the same opposition in the game’s longest format.
At the Feroz Shah Kotla (now the Arun Jaitley International Stadium), the Pakistan player experienced a moment of madness after patiently making it to 82.
Misbah poked the ball towards the goal and hurriedly came down for a single that appeared to be coming in. The batsman felt it would be wise to jump out of the way of the throw just before he made his move, though.
And, unavoidably, the ball struck the stumps, leaving the right-hander falling short and his continued presence at the crease in that innings literally in the balance.
#9 Graham Gooch vs Australia in 1993 at Manchester’s Old Trafford
Gooch became the first player from England to be booted off for handling the ball.
Graham Gooch was one of the world’s best batsmen in the 1990s. Unsurprisingly, despite the fact that everyone around him was crumbling like a house of cards, the Englishman frequently stood out against every opponent, even Australia.
The right-hander effortlessly got to work at Old Trafford in 1993 against the Australians, compiling a superb hundred. The situation the Three Lions were in, hoping to avert another humiliating loss, helped the team gain strength.
But when Gooch’s score reached 133, he acted rashly, giving the Australians the crucial breakthrough they were looking for.
#8 Andy Ducat faced Australia in Headingley in 1921.
There have been many people honoured for their on-field performances throughout the illustrious history of cricket. However, there have also been cricketers who have sat on the other side of the coin, more often being remembered for a humorous incident or unfortunate turn of events. And Andy Ducat definitely fits into the latter category.
After eventually being given the opportunity to make his debut, the Englishman produced one of the most bizarre dismissals in cricket history when batting on 3. Ted McDonald, an Australian bowler, made a delivery that awkwardly ricocheted off the field’s surface. Ducat attempted to push the ball but instead nicked it.
The Englishman’s problems were made worse when a chip flew off the shoulder of his bat and the ball lobbed tamely in the direction of slip. And to top it all off, as it fell, the shredded piece of willow kissed the bails. Finally, he was sent out for slipping. And the result of all that work and waiting for the Three Lions cap was a mix of bad luck and powerlessness.
#7 India vs. Inzamam-ul-Haq at Peshawar, 2006
One of the most talented batsmen to ever play the game is Inzamam-ul-Haq. There were not many right-handers who made hitting appear as simple as the right-hander did, and his technique radiated grace.
The former Pakistan captain was one of those cricketers, though, who frequently found himself in the spotlight due to the silliness of his dismissals. And in 2006, India was the target of one such incident.
Inzamam, who was batting at 16, poked the ball towards mid-off and moved a few steps down the track in anticipation of a single. However, Suresh Raina quickly picked up the ball and fired a shot toward the batsman’s end.
Despite being out of his depth, the Pakistani batsman strangely chose to swat the toss away with his bat. The former was expelled when the Indians filed an appeal. For more background, let’s recall that Inzamam had been fired a few weeks earlier for failing to block the pass and instead lifting his back foot. And those two incidents just strengthened his legend.
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#6 Australia vs. Azhar Ali in Abu Dhabi, 2018
In Abu Dhabi, Pakistan had taken control and appeared poised for a crushing victory over Australia. In reality, Azhar Ali led the Asian team’s second innings, which got off to a strong start.
However, the right-hander created one of the greatest brain fades the game has ever seen on 64.
Azhar pushed the ball past point and then walked slowly down the track, anticipating a crash into the advertising cushions. Given that batsmen typically strive to conserve their energy under the harsh circumstances in the Middle East, it seemed like logical behavior.
The ball never made it to the boundary, which was the single exception. Tim Paine was the recipient of a throw from Mitchell Starc, who stopped the ball before the barrier. When the wicketkeeper quickly removed the bails, Azhar was left in the dark about what had actually happened.
#5 Andrew Symonds’ 2006 match against Sri Lanka at Melbourne’s Docklands
Andrew Symonds had developed into a model middle-order dasher by the end of the 2000s, capable of reversing matches on his own. In reality, the Australian was in one of those combative moods against Sri Lanka in the VB Series opener in January 2006.
Though quite humorous, those attacking tendencies also contributed to his demise.
The right-hander absolutely laced a Jehan Mubarak pitch in the direction of Michael Clarke, the non-striker. The latter, startled by the force of the shot, was unable to get out of the path, and thus the ball impacted his ankle. Later, the ball was thrown up to Tillakaratne Dilshan at midwicket, who seized the opportunity.
After the bizarre dismissal, the two Australian batters could not contain their mirth and grinned bitterly at one another. They even gestured for a post-game pint. And one assumes they would have had a lot to talk about.
Read Now: The Best Australian All Rounders of All Time
#4 Salman Butt vs England, Multan, 2005
One such occurrence occurred in November 2005, when Shaun Udal took Salman Butt for his first Test wicket. The left-hander lost patience while batting on 74 and swiped haphazardly at a pitch outside the off-stump. Geraint Jones pouched the ball after it went off his outside edge and struck Marcus Trescothick in the forehead. After 17 years, Shaun Udal finally lost a Test match. Wasn’t that a great way to finish a 17-year wait?
#3 Inzamam-ul-Haq vs England, Headingley, 2006
Inzamam, the only cricketer to appear twice on the list, is notorious for some of his ridiculous dismissals. Unfortunately, that pattern wasn’t broken until 85 years ago at Headingley, the site of yet another inexplicable dismissal.
Batting on 26, Inzamam seems determined to continue the excellent job of Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan in securing a safe sanctuary for his team. The Pakistani captain then made the decision to sweep Monty Panesar, though.
The shot was a good choice, but the execution fell far short of what was anticipated.
The delivery initially struck Inzamam in the ribs, which led to him losing his balance and direction. He then attempted to demonstrate his athleticism by leaping over the stumps, nearly knocking Chris Read over in the process.
The Pakistani captain eventually lost his balance and was left on his hands and knees. His team lost the Test despite taking the lead in the first inning because the rest of them made the same mistakes.
#2 Melbourne (Docklands) match between Peter Nevill and the Melbourne Stars in 2016
One of the most absurd runouts in the history of the game involves Peter Nevill. The wicketkeeper and Dwayne Bravo attempted to lead the Melbourne Renegades to victory in the hotly contested Melbourne Derby.
However, things took a pretty unexpected turn in the 13th over. The West Indian drove directly at the non-striker Nevill. The ball struck his bat, which was in his left hand, because the latter was unable to dodge it.
After hitting Adam Zampa (the bowler) in the nose, the ricochet caused some furniture at the bowler’s end to move. Nevill was forced to make a strange stroll back to the pavilion because he was out of his element. However, that dismissal undoubtedly demonstrated that meddling in other people’s affairs can be profitable at times, despite the fact that it may have negative bodily effects.
#1 Vasbert Drakes versus the Free State in East London, 2002
There are more than ten ways to be dismissed in cricket, but none are as uncommon as getting timed out. To put things into perspective, even if it might appear difficult, batsmen typically muster the resources to confront intimidating bowlers.
That principle, however, does not apply if the batsman is not at the venue or, for that matter, in the country at all. Vasbert Drakes also holds the amusing distinction of carrying out the same action.
The West Indian was traveling from Colombo after being selected to play for Border against Free State at East London in 2002. Unfortunately, his trip was delayed, which prevented him from making it to South Africa in time for the game. Naturally, he ran out of time.
Bonus Content: Which player has been dismissed by run-out for the most times in the history of international cricket?
