Vaughan welcomes Mushfiqur to ‘Handled ball club’

Former England captain Michael Vaughan welcomed Bangladesh's Mushfiqur Rahim to the 'exclusive' club of cricketers who have been dismissed for handling the ball in Test cricket.

Mushfiqur became the eighth member of this fictional club on Day One of the Dhaka Test against New Zealand.

Mushfiqur is the first batter since Vaughan to depart for handling the ball in a Test match, a dismissal which was brought under the umbrella of obstructing the field in 2017.

Vaughan, who was given out for handling the ball against India in Bengaluru way back in December 2001, took to 'X', formerly known as Twitter, to react to Mushfiqur's rather comical dismissal.

"Welcome to the very exclusive Handled ball club @mushfiqur15.. only proper players are members," Vaughan wrote in his post.

The incident occurred in the 41st over of the innings when Mushfiqur, batting on 35, defended a delivery from pacer Kyle Jamieson and then as the ball was going wide of the wickets, he swatted it with his right hand.

He is the overall the ninth batter to get out for obstructing the field in Test cricket.

English cricketer Len Hutton was the first player to get out for obstructing the field in a Test match against South Africa in August, 1951.

South Africa's Russel Endean was the first player to be dismissed for handling the ball in January, 1957 in a Test against England.