WATCH, WI vs ENG | Brandon King’s athleticism shines in superb relay catch with Alzarri Joseph

ByDebayan Sinha, SportsCafe Editor

Today at 12:36 PM

Relay catches are nothing new in cricket, but players continue to raise the bar with displays of incredible agility. A prime example came in the third ODI between West Indies and England, where Brandon King showcased peak fitness as he completed a stunning relay catch with Alzarri Joseph.

‌Aiming for a strong start to win the final ODI, England’s batters were off to a shaky beginning, with their scorecard reading a fragile 10/2 after four overs. The situation worsened when Jacob Bethell was dismissed in the sixth over, leaving the top order looking vulnerable. Liam Livingstone also struggled, departing for just six off 14 balls, as England’s score slumped to 24/4 in 10 overs. However, Phil Salt and Sam Curran steadied the ship, pushing the score to 94/4 by the 25th over. Despite Curran’s departure, the partnership was broken, but England regained their rhythm. Salt and Dan Mousley put together a 70-run stand, taking the score to 163/5 in 40 overs. Yet, just when England seemed to be back on track, a moment of brilliance occurred. Brandon King and Alzarri Joseph combined for a stunning relay catch to dismiss Salt, shifting the momentum once again.

On the third ball of the 41st over, Matthew Forde bowled a length delivery outside off stump to Phil Salt. The England wicketkeeper-batter cleared his front leg, looking to heave the ball to the leg side. He connected with the ball and swung his bat hard sending it flying to the left of deep mid-wicket off the inner part of the bat. Positioned deep in the outfield Brandon King sprinted across and timed his jump perfectly. With remarkable presence of mind, he took the ball with both hands in a reverse catch knowing the boundary cushion was close. He tossed the ball into the air to Alzarri Joseph who sprinted in from long-on and caught it the white rock with ease. The umpires reviewed the catch and after a brief pause, TV umpire Rod Tucker confirmed the dismissal as 'out,'. Forde celebrated with delight, while Darren Sammy was visibly thrilled by King’s remarkable effort.

What an effort!