Cricketers and umpires were left stunned at Reid Oval on Saturday afternoon after a freak occurrence in the third grade clash between Western District and Ginninderra.
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Lions bowler Andy Reynolds had appeared to clean bowl Tigers opener Matthew Bosustow with the ball crashing into middle stump.
The only problem was the bails remained intact.
Bosustow initially started to walk before realising he was a chance of an unlikely and unexpected reprieve.
Mass confusion followed as the umpires convened and players pondered what happened next.
Ultimately, the officials declared Bosustow not out thanks to a quirk of the laws. For a batter to be dismissed either the bails must be broken or a stump has to be completely dislodged.
With middle stump at an angle but still in the ground, the opener survived.
Bosustow was unable to make the most of his second chance and was out a couple of overs later, much to the relief of Wests captain Sam Wightman.
"I've never seen that happen before," Wightman said.
"No one has seen it happen. We all found it pretty funny afterwards. At the time we were happy to take the wicket, then we weren't so happy the batsman had to come back. We got him not long after, which made me happier."
The moment went viral on Sunday as people shared the photo on social media.
While on the wrong end of the freak play, Wests came out on top in the match.
Batting first, the Lions reached 6-136, before restricting Ginninderra to 9-96 in a rain-affected game.
Reynolds' afternoon was a frustrating one, the bowler finishing without a wicket. Instead it was Cam Barnett who claimed figures of 4-29.
Despite the challenges, Reynolds took the events in his stride.
"He was just bewildered," Wightman said.
"He'd never seen it before, he didn't know how to react. Bemused is the word he used in the change rooms."
Cameron Mee
Sports reporter at the Canberra Times
Sports reporter at the Canberra Times
