A catch has divided cricket fans around the world. While a segment of the fans believe that the umpire was right in deeming it as out, others claim that it should have been given not out. However, well within the laws of the game, the Big Bash League fixture between Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat witnessed a spectacular catch, courtesy of Michael Neser.
While Sixers' Jordan Silk was in the middle of a great innings and even seemed to have timed this particular ball off Mark Steketee well enough to clear the fence, Neser not only reached the ball but showed remarkable presence of mind to throw the ball in the air but outside the playing field. He then calmly waited for the ball to descend and jumped just in time to ensure he has thrown the ball inside aerially and then came back to complete the catch inside the playing field.
Here is the video of the catch:
Brisbane Heat beat Sydney Sixers by 15 runs
The catch was instrumental in Brisbane Heat's 15-run win over the Sixers. While the Heat had managed to score 224/5 with the help of blistering half-centuries from Josh Brown (62 off 23) and Nathan McSweeney (84 off 51), Sydney Sixers, in response, were in control of the chase with Silk (41 off 23) and James Vince (41 off 24) helping the team catch up with the required run rate. However, Silk's dismissal, courtesy of Neser's catch that has divided the internet, was a massive turning point.
Hayden Kerr (27 off 15) and Sean Abbott (14 off 9) did try to get past the winning line but Sixers felt short in the end, managing only 209 in their 20 overs. Among the bowlers Dan Christian bowled an over for 5 and scalped a wicket in a match where the Sixers bowlers went for 11.2. Other than the catch, Heat's Neser finished with figures of 3 for 41. Ross Whiteley also took 2 wickets for 2 runs in an over.