{
  "id": 17247921,
  "title": "'I Nearly Spent The Night In Prison': Umpire Recalls Bizarre Dubai Airport Ordeal After Security Mistook Cricket Gear For An Adult Toy",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/i-nearly-spent-the-night-in-prison-umpire-recalls-bizarre-dubai",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T15:16:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/i-nearly-spent-the-night-in-prison-umpire-recalls-bizarre-dubai-airport-ordeal-after-security-mistook-cricket-gear-for-an-adult-toy"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former international cricket umpire Marais Erasmus recounted a bizarre incident at Dubai Airport that nearly had him spending the night behind bars. The South African umpire was traveling with a ball gauge, a specialized tool used to check the roundness of cricket balls, when it caused a mix-up with airport security. The security officer mistakenly believed the ball gauge resembled handcuffs, leading Erasmus to fear a night in Dubai prison. Fortunately, an Indian baggage handler fluent in Arabic came to his rescue, explaining that the device was cricket gear and not a prohibited item.",
  "summary": "Former international cricket umpire Marais Erasmus has shared a hilarious airport security incident in Dubai that nearly landed him in serious trouble. The South African revealed that an ordinary piece of cricket equipment in his luggage raised suspicion among airport officials. The misunderstanding was so serious that he feared spending the night in a Dubai prison. Erasmus reveals bizarre…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}