An amateur cricketer in England hit a dream ball out of the ground with the sort of perfection he’ll remember for years – only to see it crash down to Earth and smash the window of his own car.
Taxi driver Asif Ali drove the ball out of the park with a beautiful hit that soared over the buildings on the edge of the ground.
He watched in delight as the ball, a six, travelled far and high, and then heard the ominous smashing sound from the car park.
Mr Ali, 38, dropped to his knees as he realised the ball had crashed through the rear window of his own Vauxhall Zafira.
“That moment when you hit a massive six only for it crash through your own car windscreen,” Illingworth St Mary's Cricket Club’s tweeted.
“I was really happy, oh that was looking a really big six!” the all-rounder said.
His family were watching a livestream of the game and began texting him and calling him after the incredible shot.
Media presenter and cricket fan Greg James tweeted, “Should get an extra 5 for that”. Mr Ali was playing for his club against Sowerby St Peter's in the Halifax Cricket League cup match in West Yorkshire.
Club chairman Jeremy Rhodes – who cleared up the broken glass – is generously helping to pay to fix the broken glass.
“I’ve agreed to pay for his windscreen repair,” he said. “It was right off the middle of his bat and it went right through the middle of the screen.
“He is renowned for his big hitting, he’s a very destructive batsman. There was no anger, he’s a very relaxed guy.”
Mr Ali finished on 43 not out but it was not enough to carry his side to the semi-finals of the competition.
