On Monday, England spinner Shoaib Bashir etched his name into the annals of cricket history, albeit in an unwanted fashion, as he equaled the record for the most expensive over in English first-class cricket. The incident occurred during Worcestershire’s match against Surrey at New Road.
Shoaib Bashir was on the receiving end of a brutal assault from fellow England international Dan Lawrence, who hammered him for 38 runs in a single over. Lawrence’s onslaught included five consecutive sixes, all hit between long-off and wide long-on. The onslaught was relentless, leaving Bashir grasping for answers.
Adding insult to injury, the sixth ball of the over was wide, which resulted in an additional five runs. A no-ball followed, allowing Lawrence to take a single before Bashir finally managed to contain the damage with a dot ball off the eighth delivery.
This performance by Lawrence matched the record set by Andrew Flintoff in 1998 when he struck 38 runs off an over bowled by Alex Tudor for Lancashire against Surrey at Old Trafford.
Lawrence’s formidable batting display continued as he went on to score a career-best 175 runs in Surrey’s first innings, contributing significantly to their total of 490. Later, he showcased his bowling prowess by claiming two wickets as Worcestershire struggled to 147-7 in reply.
The cricketing world has seen legendary feats like West Indies great Garry Sobers hitting six sixes in an over against Glamorgan’s Malcolm Nash in 1968. However, Sobers achieved this milestone with all legal deliveries, highlighting the exceptional nature of Lawrence’s achievement against Bashir.
Despite this setback, Bashir’s journey in cricket continues, with his early career promising potential despite the daunting record he now shares.
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