A bizarre scene was witnessed in the Big Bash League (BBL 13) match between Melbourne Stars and Sydney Sixers when Haris Rauf came out to bat without pads on in the final over of the first innings on Saturday.
Rauf was caught by surprise and unprepared as the Stars lost four wickets in as many balls in the last over bowled by Daniel Sams.
Beau Webster and Usama Mir were dismissed off the third and fourth deliveries by Sams before Mark Steketee got run out of the first ball he faced.
Rauf did not expect his team to lose a flurry of wickets and was caught off-guard. He therefore, decided to just go out to the middle with his bat, gloves and helmet as he had to take position at the non-striker's end with Mark Steketee on strike.
Brett Lee calls it a 'circus'
Commentators Brad Haddin, Brett Lee and Mel Jones were in shock at the spectacle unfolding on the field. “Look at this, he has got no gloves on, no helmet on and no pads,” Haddin said on Fox Cricket.
“I have never seen this in my life,” Lee added. “Haris Rauf has been caught short literally,” Jones said. “How is this, what about a wide and take a single?” Lee joked.
“He is going to face a ball with no . . . I hope he is wearing a box.”
“He is smiling at the moment, he might not be if he hasn’t,” Jones replied.
“Right, gloves are on, helmet on, bat in hand. He feels as if he has got things covered.”
“One glove on, this is a circus,” Lee said.
Sams got the fourth wicket in the over and his third by castling Liam Dawson on the final ball to bowl out the Stars for 172 after winning the toss and opting to bat first in Albury.
