BBL 2022/23 | Twitter gets divided over ‘genius’ Michael Neser’s exceptional catch after juggling it over boundary line

SportsCafe Desk
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Cricket’s rules and regulations come into the spotlight whenever players pull off something unusual on the field. Such an incident occurred on Sunday in the Big Bash League (BBL) when Michael Neser ensured Jordan Silk’s dismissal by taking an excellent catch after juggling it past the boundary line.

Match 25 of the ongoing Big Bash League between Brisbane Heat and Sydney Sixers was a high-scoring affair at The Gabba. The Heat, riding on Nathan McSweeney’s 51-ball 84 and Josh Brown’s breezy 23-ball 62, piled 224/5 batting first. In reply, the Sixers produced a spirited performance, but the target was always too big for them to see off. As a result, they closed on 209, enduring a 15-run win.

The match was well in the balance until the 19th over of the Sixers’ innings, when they reached 192/7, with Jordan Silk batting on 35 off 21 balls. The batter made 41 off 22 by smashing Mark Steketee’s first ball of the 19th over for six to reduce the equation. Then the drama happened after Silk smashed the next ball, which was full and wide outside off stump, to loft it over the extra cover. Michael Neser first made the contact with the ball inside the boundary line, and then went past the ropes. After that, he flicked it back to the play arena from outside the ropes, but by jumping, he made sure his feet were not grounded.

The replay showed Neser did not do anything wrong during the attempt, and it was a legal catch as per the MCC, which states under Law 19.5.2: "A fielder who is not in contact with the ground is considered to be grounded beyond the boundary if his/her final contact with the ground, before his/her first contact with the ball after it has been delivered by the bowler, was not entirely within the boundary."

Juggling act

Questions emerged

Threw the ball

Make sense

Can't be right

Much debate

Significant player

Out of bounds

Beyond boundaries

Brilliant

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