ENG vs SA | Twitter reacts as Bullseye Buttler cutting Klaasen's stay short leaves Miller with hands on hips

06/21/2024

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Never underestimate the ability of big game players to impact games out of the blue -- a valuable lesson the Proteas were reminded of on Friday. David Miller's unnecessary call to sneak a bye ended up costing the team big time after Jos Buttler nailed the throw to dispatch Heinrich Klaasen.

England scripted a brilliant comeback with the ball in the first innings of their Super 8 clash against South Africa at Gros Islet. After Quinton de Kock's explosive 38-ball 65 had left them desparately seeking answers, a flurry of quick wickets meant the Proteas suddenly found themselves reeling at 115/4 with just five overs to go. Skipper Jos Buttler had a huge role to play in the mini collapse, having first taken a brilliant grab to de Kock before outdoing himself to get rid of the dangerous Klaasen.

Mark Wood had the ball in hand in the 16th over and delivered a wayward slow bouncer on the penultimate delivery that sailed over Klaasen's head enroute to Buttler. However, the Kookaburra landed awkwardly in front of the wicket-keeper before thumping into his pads and tumbling off to his left. While Klaasen took a moment to turn around and get up to sync with the action, David Miller at the other end raced off for a run and Klaasen decided to trust his teammate's call. Buttler, sensing an opportunity, rushed after the ball that had ended up where fine leg would usually be stationed before picking it up and one smooth motion slinging it at the non-striker's end while executing a turnaround. Much to the shock of players and commentators alike, the white rock hit the bullseye to catch Klaasen well short of the mark, ending his stay for a sluggish eight.

Buttler was unsurprisingly ecstatic as he leaped in the air in joy while Klaasen stoically continued running towards the dugout. However, no one was more perturbed than Miller, who immediately let go off his bat and held his hips in disappointment with eyes fixated on the ground, given he had made the call for the run. Twitter, meanwhile, sympathized with the Proteas batter, putting the incident down to simply a case of Buttler being his brilliant self.

What a direct hit!

— Jack Wills (@jack_wills44147)

Turning point

Heinrich Klaasen Run Out Could Be The Turning Point Of The Match 🙌
— Sachiin Ramdas Suryavanshi (@sachiinv7)

Domination

Wicket Keepers only are performing in this match, Quinoa De Kock played brilliantly but caught equally brilliantly by Jos Buttler, then run out of Klassen by him 😃
— Cric_Lover 🏏 (@ankit_bhattar)

Losing this

Man South Africa are losing this 🤣

- Reeza Hendricks test knock

- Klaasen test knock & run out

- Sending Markram ahead of Stubbs

You can't win after so many errors unless England chokes horribly.
— Prateek (@prateek_295)

Beauty

Jos Butler YOU BEAUTY ♥️♥️♥️

Sending both Quinton and Klassen with a STELLAR EFFORT 💥💥💥
— Sai (@sai_whispers)

Run out of the year

That has to be run out of the year by Jos Buttler

Heinrich Klaasen so unlucky for it
— Sachiin Ramdas Suryavanshi (@sachiinv7)

On rampage

When the going gets tough, the tough gets going...

Batsmen on rampage no assistance to bowlers, butler taking them on through his skills...
— Chidiyabaazi (@Shonty28)

Victim now

Only few days back Klaasen inflicted a run out against Nepal when a batter was casually striding to non-strikers

Today Klaasen became a victim himself !
— 🔁 (@Tutterdotcom)

Ridiculous