In a bizarre turn of events during the Big Bash League opener in Geelong, play was abruptly halted when a cricket ball went missing in full view at the GMHBA Stadium. The unusual incident occurred during the Melbourne Renegades’ chase against the Brisbane Heat, leaving players, officials and fans puzzled as they searched for the lost ball.
The match itself had already delivered plenty of entertainment. Tim Seifert struck a brilliant century, while Ollie Peake played a rapid half-century to give the Heat a strong platform. Contributions from Colin Munro and a steady partnership between Jimmy Peirson and Hugh Weibgen kept the contest alive and competitive.
The strange episode unfolded on the second-last delivery of the 15th over. Matthew Spoors bowled a half-tracker that Weibgen smashed towards the boundary. Jake Fraser-McGurk, stationed near the ropes and wearing a microphone, rushed in to retrieve the ball — only to find it had seemingly vanished.
Fraser-McGurk searched frantically, kneeling and even lying flat on the turf while checking beneath advertising boards. After failing to locate the ball, he suggested it might have ended up inside a cameraman’s bag placed near the boundary, a claim that initially seemed unlikely and drew amused reactions.
Did this ball get lost in the gutter, or in a photographer's backpack? 😂#BBL15 pic.twitter.com/gB4yuMhRid
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) December 15, 2025
Replays later confirmed that the ball had indeed struck the cameraman’s backpack. A second inspection of the bag finally revealed the missing ball, validating Fraser-McGurk’s instincts and allowing play to resume after the unexpected delay.
The incident quickly went viral on social media, with fans comparing it to casual gully-cricket moments where balls routinely disappear. Memes and jokes flooded timelines, turning the unusual interruption into one of the most talked-about and light-hearted moments of the BBL opener.