Umpire acts after bowler’s full-toss hat-trick

CRICKET:

Friarmere player Gary Kershaw accepted that “rules are rules” after watching team-mate Sohail Mahmood removed from the attack after bowling three full tosses over waist height.

Though there is nothing unusual in such bowling, these were the first three balls of the innings!

“There was nothing malicious in it; Sohail was just very rusty,” added Kershaw.

Umpire Dunkerley said: “The offending bowler was genuinely apologetic. He told me it was a cold day, he was a bit stiff and he hadn’t bowled for a couple of years. He held up his hands and said sorry.”



“WHEN my other half stood up and applauded my first scoring shot, the fielders wondered what was going on,” reflected John Punchard, after recording his 20,000th run in first-team cricket.

The Shaw captain reached the milestone against Moorside last Sunday.

“I think I needed to score another 100 on the day to make a game of it, though,” added Punchard, who made 12 in the eight-wicket defeat.

Holebottom Clough is the latest stop-off in a career which started at Royton in 1973, and has included spells at Middleton, Werneth and Bradford side East Bierley.