BBL 2023/24

Watch: ‘Never seen anything like that’ – Unprepared No.11 Haris Rauf walks out to bat without pads

by Wisden Staff December 23, 2023 - 6:59am 2 minute read

Watch: Melbourne Stars seamer Haris Rauf walked out to bat without pads on during a Big Bash League game against Sydney Thunder at the Lavington Sports Oval in Albury today (December 23).

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Melbourne Stars were led by Beau Webster and skipper Glenn Maxwell who laid the platform for them to reach a competitive total.

Webster, batting at No.3, scored 59 off 44 balls while Maxwell scored 30 off 26 at No.4. They were supported by opener Thomas Rogers (21off 16) and Hilton Cartwright (22 off 11).

The story of the innings, however, came in the last over bowled by Daniel Sams. The left-arm seamer dismissed Webster off the third ball of the over, Usama Mir off the fourth ball, and helped run Mark Steketee out off the fifth to complete a team hat-trick.

The flurry of wickets meant Haris Rauf, the No.11 batter, had to rush out to the crease. With the Stars having lost only six wickets mid-way through the last over of the innings, Rauf wasn’t prepared to walk out to bat, and it resulted in hilarious scenes when he eventually did.

Rauf was supposed to stand at the non-striker’s end for the last ball of the innings and he decided to walk out without his pads, wearing just the helmet and the gloves, much to the amusement of viewers.

As it turned out, the last ball of the innings, faced by Liam Dawson, also resulted in a wicket as Melbourne Stars were all out for 172, losing their last four wickets in four balls. Sams finished with figures of 4-33 off his four overs.