Forum: Space / Science

on Sun 25 of July, 2010 21:44 PDT, by Nick H

http://www.theage.com.au/world/from-deep-space-to-deep-midwicket-meteorite-lands-on-cricket-pitch-during-county-game-20100726-10ryj.html (external link)

Not yet confirmed as a meteorite (there are plenty of other ways that stray rocks can end up flying through the air)

Quote:

When two spectators standing on the boundary at a cricket match saw an object hurtling down from the sky, their first instinct might have been to applaud.

However Jan Marszel, 51, and Richard Haynes, 52, were not witnessing a six, but an extremely rare meteor strike.

The rock, a few inches long and believed to be up to 4.5 billion years old, broke in two when it hit the ground in front of them close to the pitch.

The pair – both Sussex members – were sitting square of the wicket watching the England player Luke Wright bat with Monty Panesar when they spotted the black, five-inch rock hurtling towards them.

Mr Marszel, an IT consultant, said: “We were sitting at the boundary edge when all of a sudden, out of a blue sky, we saw this small dark object hurtling towards us.

“It landed five yards inside the boundary and split into two pieces.

“One piece bounced up and hit me in the chest and the other ended up against the boundary board.

The amazing thing is, one man describes being physically struck by a fragment of the meteorite after it bounced. This must be quite a rare event, but as a cricket-watcher, I'm disappointed he didn't make the catch - that WOULD have been one for the book of records!