WATCH: St Kilda Cricket Club nightwatchman Edward Verco timed out after coming without pads, gloves

He arrived to the crease in shorts, with no pads or gloves — and then Edward Verco was immediately given his marching orders to head back to the pavilion. Watch the bizarre dismissal here.

The captain of the player timed out in bizarre scenes in Victorian Premier Cricket on Saturday has gone into bat for the young bowler, declaring his dismissal “selfless”.

The incident happened in the last over of the day in the Fourth XI match between St Kilda and Fitzroy-Doncaster at Ian Johnson Oval.

After bowling out the Lions for 244 in 76.2 overs, the Saints had one over to face before stumps.

They lost Miles Fricke LBW to the second ball.

St Kilda thought Fricke’s dismissal would bring an end to the day’s play.

St Kilda captain Will Faulkner scrambled to put his pads on when it became clear the 80th over would be completed.

As he did, Edward Verco, who typically bats at No. 11, volunteered to go to the middle.

Leaving behind his pads, gloves and a helmet, he walked to the wicket carrying a bat and wearing black shorts.

Footage shows him having a brief conversation with the umpires before placing his bat under his arm and heading back to the pavilion.

Faulkner replaced him and saw his team through to 2-2 at stumps.

Edward Verco is given his marching orders after being timed out in St Kilda during a Fourth XI game. Picture: St Kilda Cricket Club

“It was a pretty selfless thing he did under the circumstances,” Faulkner said of Verco.

“We were under the impression that a wicket in that first and final over of our innings on the day would bring about stumps but that didn’t happen.

“I raced in to put my kit on as quickly as possible and I was padded up just around the three-minute mark, but I was asking what the vibe was when they (Fitzroy Doncaster) were standing around.

“We gathered pretty quickly that Fitzroy Doncaster were going to appeal for timed-out.

“Vercs and I being very good mates, he said, ‘Look Faulks, do you want me to grab my bat and head out to see what they say?’.

“He brought a bat out there with him to get an indication on whether they were going to appeal because if they were he was going to say he was the batsman.

“That was exactly what they did, Fitzroy Doncaster wanted to appeal for timed-out, and he walked off.”

Victorian Premier Cricket operations manager Darren Anderson was unaware of the incident when contacted on Saturday night.

He pointed out one of the two umpires officiating in the match had First and Second XI experience.

Anderson today confirmed the 80th over had to be completed in line with Premier Cricket rules.

Originally published as WATCH: St Kilda Cricket Club nightwatchman Edward Verco timed out after coming without pads, gloves