Cricket: Commentator mistakes dwarfs for toddlers during test match

Cricket commentator Mark Nicholas. Photo / Getty

Commentator Mark Nicholas has been left red faced after mistaking a pair of cricket playing dwarfs for talented toddlers.

The gaffe occurred last Friday during the opening day of the third test between South Africa and Pakistan at Johannesburg, when television cameras captured two little people engaged in their own cricket match during a break in play.

The pair were barefoot on the oval near the fence at Wanderers Stadium with one dwarf bowling to another who was using a miniature bat.

Camera shots showed some members of the crowd were enjoying their efforts, but Nicholas apparently believed they were toddlers and appeared stunned when the bowler showed an impressive left-arm spin technique.

"Okay well, it's important to start young," said the SuperSport anchor.

"Look at this…spin it. Oh, I like that! I like it."

Nicholas' comments were met by laughter by co-commentator Kevin Pietersen who seemed to pick up on his colleague's blunder.

Nicholas' faux pas was also noticed by viewers who took to social media to highlight his embarrassing error.

"Mark Nicholas puts his foot in it... their dwarfs not baby's [sic]," one posted on Twitter. Aother wrote: "Not Mark Nicholas finest hour. Their dwarfs not baby's [sic]."

To be fair to Nicholas, the diminutive bowler almost lost his footing during his approach to the crease, which may have caused him to believe he was watching a young child in action.

The same mistake could not be made with the batsman, however, who looked much older and was obviously a dwarf.