Cricket has seen many highs and lows, but few moments are as shocking as the over bowled by New Zealand pacer Bert Vance 35 years ago. On February 20, 1990, during a first-class match in Wellington against Canterbury, Vance delivered an over that would go down in cricket history for all the wrong reasons. Instead of the usual six balls, Vance bowled a staggering 22 deliveries, conceding 77 runs. This single over not only left fans stunned but also effectively ended his career.
22-Ball, 77-Run Over
Vance’s disastrous over came during a Shell Trophy match between Wellington and Canterbury at the Christchurch ground. Wellington had set Canterbury a target of 291 runs in the fourth innings. At a crucial stage, Canterbury needed 95 runs from 2 overs to win. It was in this tense moment that Vance came on to bowl, only to produce one of the most humiliating overs ever seen.
During the over, Vance bowled 17 no-balls, meaning only five of his deliveries were legal. The batsmen took full advantage. Lee Germon, Canterbury’s key batsman, smashed 70 runs off this over alone, while Roger Ford contributed 5 runs. The scoring sequence across the 22 balls included 0,4,4,4,6,6,4,6,1,4,1,0,6,6,6,6,6,0,0,4,0,1.
Vance’s Over Became Legendary
Despite the onslaught, Canterbury fell just one run short of victory, finishing at 290 for 8 in 59 overs. The match ended in a draw, but Vance’s over became legendary. His career never recovered from the embarrassment of that single spell. Over his international career, Vance had played 4 Tests, scoring a total of 207 runs with one half-century, and 8 ODIs, amassing 248 runs.
Why It’s Remembered
Bert Vance’s over remains one of the most infamous moments in cricket history. It serves as a cautionary tale of how quickly fortunes can change in sports. The combination of pressure, mistakes, and extraordinary batting from Lee Germon ensured that this over would be remembered for generations. Fans around the world still talk about the 22-ball, 77-run over as one of cricket’s most extraordinary and shocking performances.
