Advertisement

The catch that won the match

Jan 03, 2014
Jordan Silk fielding in the Sheffield Shield last year

Jordan Silk fielding in the Sheffield Shield last year

Sydney Sixer Jordan Silk’s classic catch at the Gabba last night was “the moment” in his side’s four run T20 win over the Brisbane Heat.

The one handed screamer was dubbed “one of the best I have ever seen” by West Indies great Sir Viv Richards who was part of the Ten network’s commentary team.

The build up to the catch shows why viewers are tuning into and turning up for the Big Bash League in such large numbers this summer.

Defending a modest 7-140 after being sent in to bat by Brisbane, the Sixers had the Heat in all sorts of trouble at 3-33 in the seventh over.

But with heavy hitters Craig Kieswetter (38 off 40) and Chris Lynn (34 off 21) at the crease, the Heat rallied to get back to 3-96.

Needing wickets, the Sixers reintroduced former Australian thunderbolt Brett Lee (2-22), who had an immediate impact when his first ball cannoned off Lynn’s back pad and onto the stumps.

Then Silk pulled off the moment of the match.

Kieswetter, who had been in good touch with four boundaries and one six, clobbered the ball flat and hard to long on.

Silk somehow covered around five metres, leapt and stuck out one hand, clutching the ball cleanly to take a classic.

The twin blows left the Heat with two new batters at the crease in skipper James Hopes (nine off 13) and Chris Sabburg (19 not out off 19).

But there was more; the Heat were not done with, despite needing 10 off the last two balls.

Ben Cutting smashed a six off the penultimate ball and looked to have won the game when he clubbed the last ball, only for it to fall into the hands of Moises Henriques, just metres short of the boundary.

Brisbane coach Stuart Law had rung the the changes for the match, axing paceman Alister McDermott and spinner Nathan Hauritz while recalling skipper James Hopes and handing Australian under-19 seamer Mark Steketee his BBL debut.

Gannon (4-24) ripped through the Sixers order, claiming the scalps of Henriques (19 off 15 balls), Silk (6 off 8) and Dan Smith (5 off 8) and Lee (0).

Cutting took 2-30 in a strong bowling display for the Brisbane side while Englishman Michael Lumb played a lone hand for the Sixers with a 42 ball 56.

After the match, Silk was told of Sir Viv Richard’s fulsome praise.

“(That praise) is definitely an honour,” Silk said.

“It was a pretty big moment in the game, I’m happy I hung onto it.”

Heat coach Stuart law conceded the catch was the turning point: “It just goes to show … spectacular catches win matches”.

But he also lamented not injecting Cutting (seven off three) into the fray earlier than he did.

“Probably my mistake there, sending Chris Sabburg in instead of Ben Cutting.

“If anyone can hit power, Cutting has been doing it regularly and he nearly got us over the line again.”

Fans get their chance to see Jordan Silk’s fielding skills in action at Adelaide Oval when the Sixers play Adelaide Strikers Sunday evening.

Local News Matters
Advertisement
Copyright © 2024 InDaily.
All rights reserved.