One such embarrassing moment occurred on the 3rd of September at Kennington Oval between Durham and Surrey in the quarter-final of T20 Blast, when one of the most experienced English cricketers Rory Burns finally landed up behind the stumps during this very important match. Allowably, his stint behind the wickets did not turn out to be as smooth as he might have hoped for.
Chris Jordan-led Surrey won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Surrey bowlers did a commendable job, pinning Durham to 162/8 in their allocated 20 overs. But there was one moment that went rather, for all the wrong reasons. Burns missed a regulation chance to run Michael Jones out. That became an awkward, unforgettable moment.
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As the close of Durham’s innings was drawing near, Will Jacks fielded at extra cover and laid a perfect diving attempt, saving a square drive from Jones. After fumbling for a bit, Jacks immediately released the ball towards the striker’s end.
The cricketers at the other end, Jones and his partner Bas de Leede, got into a huge miscommunication with each other regarding running between wickets, leaving Jones stranded midway down the pitch.
HOW DID HE FUMBLE THAT?! 😬
All Rory Burns can do is laugh… pic.twitter.com/PCjCEdxf3q
— Vitality Blast (@VitalityBlast) September 3, 2024
Jacks’ throw was not full-blooded as it reached Burns on a couple of bounces. But with Jones well away from the crease, he had enough time to gather and effect a run-out. Astoundingly, Burns fumbled and dropped the ball just when he was going to remove the bails. The former England Test opener could only manage a sheepish grin, knowing what chance he had frittered away.
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Despite this hiccup, Surrey’s chase of 163 was sound. After they lost three wickets early, Dom Sibley’s* 67 and Sam Curran’s 52 were sufficient to seal the chase courtesy of their 95-run stand. They reached the target with five wickets in hand and two overs to spare, advancing into the next round in the process.
The second quarter-final will also take place in Hove, where Sussex will face off against Lancashire, an encounter that is sure to be just as thrilling as the first one.
