Watch: Alex Hales had a night to forget playing for Trent Rockets against Oval Invincibles after being hit in the ‘unmentionables’ off successive Reece Topley balls.

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The incident occurred during the 13th and 14th deliveries of the Trent Rockets innings at The Oval. In a reduced-balls game, Hales attempted to hit Reece Topley through the leg-side on both occasions, only to receive a painful blow in the ‘box’ twice in a row.

In the first instance, Hales looked to pull a back of a length delivery only to miss it completely and fall to the ground with an anguished, ‘Oh no!’ Such was the sting that he had to call on the physio for help, even as the commentators on air found the humour in the situation. Ebony Rainford-Brent’s instantly iconic summary was, “That has nailed him in the gooly wooly woolies”. Reverting back to discussing cricket tactics, she said, “I think they should bowl the same delivery again,” only for advice to come true in comical fashion.

Lo, and behold, the next delivery too had a similar outcome as a faint under-edge went on to hit him in the same area yet again, leading to immense laughter from the cricketers on the field.

Unfortunately, the match went further downhill for Hales as he was soon dismissed for 25, and his side went down by nine runs after they failed to chase 126 in 65 deliveries.

He and the rest of the cricketing world were able to see the funny side. Liam Livingstone, who copped a similar blow in the BBL and also exclaimed ‘Oh no’ as he went down, expressed his sympathy, while Hales himself has since joked about the mishap. “Unfortunately it’s worst-case scenario today with minimal swelling and maximal pain,” he tweeted.

Watch Hales get hit twice in two balls below:

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