Disaster struck for England spinner Shoaib Bashir during a County Championship match between Surrey and Worcestershire on Monday, June 24. In the 128th over of Surrey's innings, after batsman Dan Lawrence had reached his century, Bashir conceded a whopping 38 runs. Lawrence unleashed his power, launching the first ball of the over out of the ground for a six. He followed it up with three more consecutive sixes, putting Bashir under immense pressure. Determined to join the exclusive club of batsmen who have hit six sixes in an over, Lawrence swung his bat again for the fifth ball. However, Bashir managed to avoid another maximum, bowling a delivery well wide. The drama continued as the wicketkeeper fumbled the ball, allowing it to race away for five wides. With the pressure mounting, Bashir overstepped for a no-ball, incurring a two-run penalty. Lawrence capitalized on the opportunity, taking a single run. Finally, Bashir managed to end the over with a legitimate delivery, a dot ball. Despite escaping further punishment, this over will undoubtedly be one to forget for the England spinner.
Shoaib Bashir hammered for 38 runs in an over
Day two of the County Championship match between Surrey and Worcestershire saw Surrey already batting comfortably at 437/9. Young loanee bowler Shoaib Bashir, representing Worcestershire, had already put in a long shift, bowling 37 overs with figures of 2/137. However, his 38th over was about to become one he wouldn't soon forget. As Bashir prepared to deliver what he hoped would be the final over of the Surrey innings, batsman Dan Lawrence had other plans. Lawrence unleashed a series of powerful shots that left the off-spinner reeling. He launched the first two balls for towering sixes straight down the ground, followed by a third that narrowly cleared the boundary for another six. The carnage continued as Lawrence pummeled two more of Bashir's deliveries over the ropes. The prospect of a historic six sixes in an over hung heavy in the air. However, Bashir's control deserted him completely as the sixth ball went way down the leg side, gifting Lawrence five wides and denying him a place in cricketing folklore.
Despite missing out on a unique feat, Lawrence's onslaught had already etched its mark in history. His explosive batting yielded a phenomenal 38 runs from that single over, tying the record for the most expensive over in County Championship history. This dubious honor was previously held by Alex Tudor who conceded the same number of runs against Lancashire in 1998, thanks in part to Andrew Flintoff's brutal 34-run knock.
Lawrence's fiery innings continued until he was eventually dismissed for a well-deserved 175, caught by Jake Libby off Ben Allison's bowling. His knock played a pivotal role in propelling Surrey to a mammoth total of 490 runs.
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