This Off-The-Nose Dismissal Is One Of The Most Extraordinary Plays We've Seen In Any Sport

Yes, that headline is accurate. Today in Australia’s Big Bash League (which, true to its moniker, is getting a lot of attention in these parts recently) Melbourne Stars bowler Adam Zampa earned a dismissal after the Renegades’ Peter Nevill slapped a line drive that went off his teammate’s bat, then off Zampa’s face, and then into the wicket where it knocked off the bails. It happened so quickly, announcers weren’t even sure what had happened:

Even the players involved didn’t know what was going on:

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.”

There’s no decent baseball analogue to explain how bizarre this play was, though if you imagine a line drive hitting the pitcher in the head, ricocheting off a runner between first and second, then landing in the first baseman’s glove as he stood on first to double him up... that’s still a bad comparison.

h/t to Chris

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