During the second Australia-Pakistan Test at the MCG, the play was delayed for seven minutes due to the third umpire, Richard Illingworth, getting stuck in a lift. The delay occurred after the lunch break on Thursday, with the two central umpires refusing to allow play to resume until Illingworth returned to his post in the grandstand. The delay ended when the fourth umpire, Phil Gillespie, ran from the boundary into the third umpire's box so that play could resume, and Illingworth arrived a few moments later. Cricket Australia and the MCG both produced light-hearted responses to the delay. Australian batters David Warner and Steven Smith were waiting to resume, with the hosts stuck on 6 for 2 in their second innings with an overall lead of 60.
"The game is delayed because the third umpire...is stuck in the lift," Cricket Australia's social media arm posted on X (formerly Twitter).
The MCG was quick to reply: "Sorry."
Mel McLaughlin, Channel Seven host, was also stuck in the lift and he said that it took almost 10 minutes for them to be left out.
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