Sports

Watch: England’s Sam Billings Takes an Extraordinary Catch to Dismiss Neil Wagner

June 27, 2022
Bharat Times

There seems to be no end to England spinner Jack Leach’s bizarre style of wicket-taking. On Day One of the third Test between England and New Zealand, Leach got Henry Nicholls caught at mid-off after his shot was deflected off his teammate’s bat. In the second innings, Leach once again claimed a strange wicket as he dismissed Neil Wagner in an unusual way.

Leach managed to get a thick edge from Wagner. The ball hit wicketkeeper Sam Billings’s body. Billings initially failed to grab the catch cleanly but he somehow managed to snap his legs to prevent the ball from touching the ground.

The video of the dismissal did not take too long to go viral on social media. Fans and followers of the game praised Billingsfor pulling off the stunning catch.

“One hell of a crazy catch … quick reflex though,” wrote one Twitter user.

Another fan felt that the catch gets better every time one watches it. “It gets better every time you watch it, pal,” he wrote.

Here are some other reactions to the amazing catch.

The dismissal might appear to be a funny one but Billings showed great reflexes to successfully take the catch. Incidentally, the 31-year-old wicketkeeper-batter did not start the game and he was drafted on Sunday as Covid-19 replacement for Ben Foakes. Though he was not in the squad for the Test series against New Zealand. Billings eventually had to undertake a three-and-a-half-hour journey to join his England teammates at the hotel on Sunday morning. In January this year, Billings made his Test debut in the last Ashes Test.

Jonny Bairstow Seals England Clean Sweep of New Zealand

Coming to Leach, he has been in fabulous form in the ongoing third Test match. The 31-year-old spinner bagged a fifer in the first innings as the visitors were bundled out for 329. In the second innings, Leach continued his stunning form and claimed five more wickets to restrict the Kiwis to 326. The Ben Stokes-led side were asked to chase a target of 296.

England kicked off the series on a positive note after securing a five-wicket triumph in the first match. The Kane Williamson-led side failed to make a comeback as they had to suffer a defeat in the next match as well. England wrampped up the series 3-0with a 7-wicket win in the 3rd.

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