MELBOURNE( The COW News Digital) Former Australian fast bowler John Hastings has revealed that officials from cricket’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) contacted him after he bowled an extraordinary 18-ball over during a Legends League match against Pakistan Champions last month.
The incident took place in the World Championship of Legends, where Hastings, representing Australia Champions, delivered two consecutive sets of five wides during a single over. In total, the over consisted of 18 deliveries and conceded 20 runs.
In a recent interview, the 38-year-old disclosed that ACU officials approached him soon after the match. “Some ACU people came up to me and said, ‘You really put us in a difficult position yesterday, and we have to look into this matter,’” Hastings recounted.
He said he responded by asking if they suspected him of match-fixing. “They said no, but they didn’t know where I had been or what I had been doing for the past seven years. I told them I am not corrupt, but explaining that over against Pakistan was difficult.”
Hastings admitted that the aftermath was intense. “I received an overwhelming number of messages from cricket people. On social media, about 1.5 million people sent me messages. I deactivated my account for three days because I didn’t know what to do. It was embarrassing and, frankly, painful.”
The former pacer said that despite the controversy, he hosted his official retirement party after the match. Hastings, who played 1 Test, 29 ODIs, and 9 T20Is for Australia, retired from professional cricket in 2019 due to health issues but has since appeared in veterans’ tournaments.
The 18-ball over has been widely discussed among fans, with some seeing it as a lighthearted moment in a legends’ exhibition, while others questioned its unusual nature. The ACU’s interest highlighted that even in non-competitive formats, cricket’s anti-corruption protocols remain active.
Hastings stressed that the incident was purely accidental, attributing it to poor bowling on the day. “It’s not something I’d want to relive,” he said. “It wasn’t my finest hour, but I can laugh about it now — sort of.”
The match itself saw Pakistan Champions cruise to a dominant 10-wicket win over the Australian side, adding further sting to Hastings’ difficult day on the field.
