England and Surrey batter Ollie Pope went viral for his unconventional bowling against Sussex in the County Championship. As the match headed for a draw, Pope bowled a bizarre leg-spin over with an eccentric run-up, completing a maiden.
England and Surrey batter Ollie Pope has grabbed the attention of cricket fans with his unconventional bowling style rather than his batting during the County Championship 2026 match against Sussex at Central County Ground in Hove, East Sussex.
The match between Surrey and Sussex ended in a draw after Surrey were bowled out for 321 in their first innings, with Sussex reaching 167/3 in their second innings before the teams shook hands. With this draw, Sussex retained the fifth spot with 154 points, while Surrey slipped to the sixth spot on the County Championship Division 1 points table.
However, it was a moment of light-hearted absurdity during the match that truly stole the show. Ollie Pope, who is a wicketkeeper-batter, has hardly bowled in his domestic cricket career and decided to showcase a remarkably eccentric leg-spin action during the County Championship match.
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Ollie Pope’s Bizarre Bowling Action Goes ,Viral
As the draw between Surrey and Sussex was inevitable, as neither side was in a position to force a victory, Surrey’s captain Rory Burns decided to hand over the final over of the match to Ollie Pope, who gleefully accepted the ball with a broad smile.
In a video that went viral on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), Pope was seen bowling a bizarre leg-spin delivery with an unusual run-up and action. The English wicketkeeper-batter, who was bowling for the second time in his career, initially bowled from almost no run-up before being told to take a longer run-up to prolong the final over.
The ball was delivered with an unusually high, almost crab-like run-up and a big hop into his delivery stride, with Pope sending down a slow leg-spinner that dipped and turned towards the batter. The Sussex batter James Coles defended the ball comfortably, with Pope completing his only over without conceding a run.
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The first time Ollie Pope bowled in his career across domestic and international cricket was in April 2023, when he bowled one over for Surrey against Lancashire in the County Championship, conceding just 10 runs without taking a wicket.
Since Pope’s role is wicketkeeper-batter, he has rarely been called upon to bowl, making his unusual cameo against Sussex all the more entertaining for the spectators and cricket fans watching the viral footage.
Ollie Pope’s Bizarre Bowling Draws Hilarious Reactions Online
Ollie Pope’s bizarre bowling action during Surrey’s County Championship match against Sussex has drawn hilarious reactions on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts poking fun at his unusual run-up, delivery stride and unexpected leg-spin cameo.
Taking to their X handles, many fans shared hilarious reactions to Pope’s unusual bowling action, with some joking about his bizarre run-up while others questioned how an England international could produce such an eccentric over. A few fans even questioned whether the England star’s bowling action was legal, while others were left in stitches by his unusual attempt
However, some fans also appreciated the fact that Pope managed to complete a maiden over despite his bizarre bowling action. One fan hilariously wrote, ‘It was a maiden so not that bad,’ while another said, ‘I am dying of laughter,’ after watching the unusual cameo.
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In the ongoing County Championship Division 1 season, Ollie Pope has aggregated 674 runs, including 2 centuries and 4 fifties, at an average of 42.12in 19 innings across 12 matches.
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