In a Big Bash League matchup between the Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars, a highlight-reel catch turned meaningless due to a no ball call. A Thunder fielder made a clean diving grab near the boundary and quickly checked his foot placement to confirm he hadn’t stepped out, which would’ve nullified the catch anyway. But before completing the play, he casually tossed the ball up in celebration. Moments later, confusion set in—because the ball had already been ruled a no ball before the catch was made. In T20 cricket, a batsman can’t be caught out off a no ball, so the catch didn’t count regardless. On top of that, the Stars added insult to injury by running between the wickets during the chaos, tallying three extra runs in addition to the penalty run for the no ball.
The batter, Nick Larkin, didn’t just avoid dismissal—he turned the mistake into a scoring opportunity. Starting at 81 runs, the Stars ended the sequence with 86, a five-run swing from a single illegal delivery. Since a no ball automatically grants a free hit, Larkin got another chance on the next pitch, during which he safely put the ball in play and earned more runs. The fielding team’s mistake extended the scoring and wasted what could have been a momentum-shifting catch. The Thunder’s execution might’ve looked sharp at first, but poor rule awareness cost them in a crucial moment.