- BBL star James Vince crunched a ball when he was at the crease
- Sydney Sixers’ English import collided with seagull
- Bird came second in brutal scenes at MCG
Big Bash cricketer James Vince is known for his powerful knock at the crease, and it was brutally evident on Thursday night at the MCG.
The Sydney Sixers’ English import managed to beat Melbourne Stars pacer Joel Paris, and unfortunately a seagull got in the way at the worst possible moment.
In harrowing scenes, the rock-hard white cricket ball bounced off the bird and over the boundary rope as stunned spectators looked on.
A security guard was then seen taking the seagull away.
‘Oh no, oh no. We’ve been talking about it all night. “Gilly (Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist) you said something would happen,” Mark Howard said in commentary for Fox Cricket.
“Let’s hope S Gull is okay.”
Englishman Ben Duckett had a microphone at the time for Fox Cricket and was playing a few meters from the incident.
“I didn’t look good there,” Duckett told viewers. “I think he’s dead… he didn’t look very good, he actually hit him pretty hard.”
Big Bash cricketer James Vince is known for his powerful knocks when in the Sydney Sixers crease, and it was brutally evident on Thursday night at the MCG.
The English import stole a shot past Melbourne Stars pacer Joel Paris and unfortunately a seagull (pictured) got in the way.
A forlorn-looking security guard was then seen carrying the seagull away (pictured)
Glenn Maxwell earlier showed his class for the hosts, making a game-high unbeaten 58 while also taking two important catches.
Seagulls disrupting BBL games is nothing new at the MCG – in 2015, one was hit by a ball smashed by Perth Scorchers star Adam Voges in a match against the Stars – but after being assisted from the field, he appeared to make a full recovery.
Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell’s heroics on Thursday inspired the Stars to a crucial 16-run victory over the top-seeded Sixers, keeping their slim chances of reaching the finals alive.
On the same day he was skipped for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, the veteran all-rounder scored an unbeaten, game-high 58 and at the same time took two important catches in the deep.
‘Credit to Maxi. “Look, I might be disappointed in the Test team,” Stars captain Marcus Stoinis said after the game.
“There’s an argument for him being in it, but the true professional that he is, he rocked it, he showed the crowd, he showed us what he can do.”
After starting the season 0-5, the Stars can still qualify for the BBL finals if they beat the Melbourne Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes in the remaining two games and other results go their way.
The Sixers (4-2, a no result) missed a golden opportunity to consolidate their position at the top of the table ahead of Saturday’s SCG clash against the Perth Scorchers.