At the 2nd Test between Australia and Pakistan at the MCG. Play was bizarrely delayed when third umpire Richard Illingworth became stuck in a lift.
On Thursday, players came back to the middle for the lunch break. Just in time for the second session to begin at 1:25 p.m. However, due to Illingworth’s inability to return to his grandstand post, the two central umpires inexplicably refused to permit a ball to be thrown.
Australian hitters David Warner and Steven Smith were forced to wait for play to continue, as the hosts were only able to get as far as 6 for 2 in their second inning while leading 60 overall.
A few minutes later, play was resumed. When Phil Gillespie, the fourth umpire, ran from the boundary into the third umpire’s box. A few moments after that, Illingworth arrived and sat down with a playful wave.
The odd seven-minute delay prompted humorous responses from both Cricket Australia and the MCG.
The third umpire is stopped in the lift, which causes the game to be delayed. According to a tweet from Cricket Australia’s social media department on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The MCG responded with a swift “Sorry.”
Mel McLaughlin, host of Channel Seven, was in the elevator when it became stuck and reported that it took them ten minutes to get out.
Later in the session, fourth umpire Gillespie was called upon to stand in the middle alongside Michael Gough for a brief period of time. When Joel Wilson had to leave the pitch for an over, adding to his hectic afternoon.
