Play was held up in the second Test between Australia and Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) because the third umpire Richard Illingworth was stuck in a lift.
The bizarre, yet hilarious, scene unravelled in the second session at the MCG when players returned from the lunch break. As everyone took their place at the 1:25 pm start to the second session, umpires stopped the bowlers and batters to get proceedings underway.
With Australia 6/2 and David Warner, Steve Smith in the middle, Pakistan were stopped from attempting to make further inroads with the hosts leading by 60 runs.
After a few minutes, Phil Gillespie, the fourth umpire, scramed from the boundary into the third umpire’s box so that play could resume. Illingworth made his way to his position a few moments later, giving a light-hearted wave as he sat down.
Cricket Australia and the MCG both psted light-hearted responses to the peculiar delay, which lasted seven minutes.
The game is delayed because the third umpire … is stuck in the lift #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/eSuKyPQp56
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 28, 2023
“The game is delayed because the third umpire…is stuck in the lift,” Cricket Australia’s social media arm posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Sorry. https://t.co/fh7EHBJxFr
— Melbourne Cricket Ground (@MCG) December 28, 2023
The MCG was quick to reply: “Sorry.”
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