Extras the top scorer for English club side Wirral
Ten ducks and three all out!
It's a scorecard that has to be seen to be believed: three all out, in 9.2 overs, with leg-byes the top score.
England cricket has had some low days – a 5-0 Ashes whitewash last summer, losing to the Netherlands at the World T20 for a second time – but a club side in the country's north-west has set a new benchmark for embarrassment.
Wirral Cricket Club, near Liverpool, were dismissed for just three against Haslington in a Cheshire League Third Division match. Extras were the top-scorer courtesy of two leg-byes.
There were 10 ducks in the Wirral innings, with No 11 Connor Hodson the only member of the visitors' side to score a run off the bat.
That Wirral managed three was something of an achievement after they were reduced to eight down for no runs, in an innings that lasted fewer than 10 overs.
Ronnie Gambles, who took 3-24 in Haslington's innings, showed some spirit and dug in for 12 balls before he was bowled. The next longest-stay at the crease for Wirral was Rolin Johnson's 11-ball vigil.
Haslington bowler Ben Istead claimed six wickets but had his figures ruined – comparatively – when Hodson snuck a run. He finished with 5-4-1-6 while fellow opening bowler Tom Gledhill taking 4-0 in 4.2 overs to wrap up a 105-run win.
Wirral should, perhaps, have known they were in for a tough day. Gledhill, a left-arm spinner, took 128 wickets last season with a strike-rate of 15 and an average of six, with his best figures of 9-30 coming against Rylands CC.
Six of the wickets to fell were bowled, while two, including Wirral captain Peter Clewes were triggered lbw. Credit goes to Gambles and David Fletcher for at least getting bat on the ball with both caught by J Goodier.
Haslington might have been a bit worried after making only 108 themselves before the carnage after the tea interval. Clewes was perhaps satisfied with his side's work after he had won the toss and elected to bowl.
However, as bad as it seems for Wirral, sides have been bowled out for less. There are instances of sides being bowled out for 0, with the first recorded being Somerset club Langport's woeful effort against Glastonbury in 1913.
To their credit, Wirral took it all in good humour, taking to Twitter to revel in their dubious celebrity and pleading with former England pros such as Michael Vaughan and David 'Bumble' Lloyd – they even asked Phil Tufnell – for "a few hours coaching" under the hashtag of #weneedit.
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Twitter's reaction
1st XI lost by 105 runs today... Sadly the opposition only scored 108! #3allout
— Wirral Cricket Club (@Wirral_CC) April 26, 2014
2 leg byes and 1 off the bat from the No.11. 1st XI all out for 3 vs @HaslingtonCC ... Bad day at the office. #3allout
— Wirral Cricket Club (@Wirral_CC) April 26, 2014
Can't believe this scorecard today is going viral. @piersmorgan has even got onto it. Proud to make history pic.twitter.com/DmazaKaYob
— Sam Bowman (@SamBowman_) April 26, 2014
@Tynan76 @Wirral_CC @bbc5live both leg byes down to me got the scoreboard ticking and nearly got them to make a change bowling wise !
— Ronnie Gambles (@RonaldoNo73) April 26, 2014
To sum up a top day's cricket and being all out for 3 the showers at Haslington were cold #3allout
— Ronnie Gambles (@RonaldoNo73) April 26, 2014
I'm now facing the prospect of having to explain to people how a side bowled out for 3 today beat @CHLadybridge last week...
— Paul Weir (@Tynan76) April 26, 2014
Worst day of my cricketing career! #3allout @Wirral_CC @RonaldoNo73 @SamBowman_ @connor_hodson93
— Danny Develing (@danny_dev86) April 26, 2014
@heatherbeattie true but I was rock solid for 12 balls #digin until I tried to take it to the opposition with an attacking shot ! #3allout
— Ronnie Gambles (@RonaldoNo73) April 26, 2014
@BumbleCricket Not my best day as captain. We chased down 203 last week. Wirral CC going places! It was all going so well
— Peter Clewes (@pjclewes) April 26, 2014
@danny_dev86 @Wirral_CC @connor_hodson93 @RonaldoNo73 @mkiel618 @SkySportsNews I can't stop laughing you know
— Sam Bowman (@SamBowman_) April 27, 2014
@BumbleCricket @FredBoycott @flintoff11 @MichaelVaughan @philtufnell Can anyone spare a few hours coaching... #weneedit #3allout
— Wirral Cricket Club (@Wirral_CC) April 26, 2014
Oh dear... The Aussies have just woken up and @CricketAus is cashing in! #hide #3allout
— Matt Garrett (@garrettmc14) April 27, 2014