Within the County Championship Division Shoaib Bashir was disqualified during one match between Somerset and Hampshire at The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton, but Kyle Abbott was overjoyed.
The hosts lost their first nine wickets for 136 runs before Bashir came out to play at No. 11 in the first innings. Abbott’s delivery was attempted to be defended by the unheralded England off-spinner, but the outswinger managed to get past the outside edge and hit the top of the off-stump. Abbott believed, as did his Hampshire teammates, that the inning was over. But Bashir did not back down after indicating something on the non-striker’s end.
The child had observed Abbott, mid-delivery stride, drop his towel from his pants pocket. He was reporting what had happened to the umpire. Even though Bashir survived to continue fighting, the umpire declared it a “dead ball”. Given that he had removed Tom Kohler-Cadmore off the previous delivery, Abbott would have been on a hat-trick if this delivery was judged fair.
It’s a no-ball because his towel lost its place in his back pocket. And you know what, is that right? The pundits stated on television that Kyle Abbott would have scored a hat trick.
Check out the viral Shoaib Bashir towel moment here:
Towel saved the batter pic.twitter.com/BdQns42Xkj
— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) September 28, 2024
What’s stated in the law?
A dead ball can be declared by the umpires when “the striker is distracted by any noise or movement or in any other way while preparing to receive, or receiving a delivery,” according to Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) Law 20.4.2.6.
Nevertheless, Bashir was unable to take advantage of the break as the Surrey native was dismissed LBW (Leg Before Wicket) on the fifth delivery of the 54th over. Following Bashir’s removal, Somerset finished their opening innings at 136 runs. Kyle Abbott completed with outstanding 4/25 from 14 overs.
Hampshire built a 60-run lead into the first innings of the County Championship match after bowling Somerset out for 136.
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Hampshire’s first-inning scorer in the opening innings was Toby Albert, with Jack Leach scoring five runs. For Somerset to win the match again, they will need to bat extremely well in the second innings.
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