Nevill run out off Zampa’s nose

MELBOURNE: The BBL prides itself on innovation, but who would have thought it could conjure up a new way of getting out? Somehow, however, it’s done just that, as Adam Zampa ran out Peter Nevill in extraordinary fashion in the Melbourne derby at Docklands stadium.

Zampa bowled the second ball of his third over to Dwayne Bravo, who drove it firmly down the ground. Nevill, the non-striker, was stood out of his ground and the ball deflected powerfully off his bat, which was in his left hand, and squirted up towards the bowler. It hit Zampa, who was moving to his right to field the ball, square on the nose, and deflected onto the stumps.

At first, Nevill’s concern was for the wellbeing of Zampa’s nose and had failed to realise he was actually out. The bowler, however, appealed immediately, even as the doctor trotted onto to the pitch.

“As soon as it hit the stumps I said “‘how’s that, that’s out.’” Zampa said, acknowledging that it was the strangest dismissal he had ever been involved in. “It goes down as a direct hit, right?”

Nevill was less aware, however. “I didn’t realise.” he said. “[Umpire] Geoff Joshua had to tap me on the shoulder and say, ‘by the way mate you’re out.’ My primary concern was Zamps, as soon as I’d seen what happened and the sound that it made was pretty sickening, my primary concern was how he was doing.”

Zampa’s team-mate Marcus Stoinis, who was named Man of the Match for his crucial 3 for 11 also heard the crack all the way down by the boundary. “It sounded bad.” he said. “I was at long-on and it sounded bad. I didn’t know it was out because it happened so quickly, but yeah he’s [Zampa] alright…. It [the sound] was a bit disgusting to be honest.

“No, [it didn’t occur to me that it was out] because Peter Nevill didn’t really walk, he stayed and handled it pretty well,” Stoinis said.

Zampa was in phlegmatic form afterwards, although he was unsure if his nose was broken. “I can’t remember what he [Nevill] said,” said Zampa, “but I think I need to say sorry because he was being sympathetic and I just brushed him off.” Two balls later, he’d dismissed Aaron Ayre lbw for a golden duck on debut.

“When it first hit me I thought it was broken so I guess I’m pretty lucky,” Zampa said.

“I’ve taken some strong painkillers and I’ll have to see how I wake up tomorrow. I’m pretty sure it’s fine. It’s not confirmed that it’s not broken, and I’ve taken some strong painkillers. Yeah, I don’t know if I’ll get an X-ray. He hit me flush and there was a bit of pain, I didn’t take anything until at least an hour after but it was ok.”

Naturally, this was an incident enjoyed by the internet. “What an extraordinary run out!” tweeted seasoned commentator Mike Haysman, while former England wicketkeeper Alec Stewart was keen for his beloved Chelsea to get Zampa on their books after heading the ball: “Transfer window is open,” he tweeted, “who will sign up Adam Zampa after that great header to run out Nevill!”