England batsman Joe Root on Day 2 of the last ongoing 5th and last Ashes 2023 Test pulled off a spectacular one handed catch to see the back of Kangaroo No. 3 batsman Marnus Labuschagne.
In England, the ball moves more than it does at any other place in the world. The batters have to take their chances, because sooner or later, a delivery arrives with their name written on it.
But Marnus (9 off 82) didn’t give a single damn about taking his chances; he was hell bent on blocking everything that was thrown at him. Eventually, his death arrived in the form of an away-angler from Mark Wood.
The angle –combined with Wood’s express pace– got the better of Labuschagne, who could only manage an edge.
Though the catch was ideally meant for the keeper, English skipper Joe Root, stationed at first slip, leapt full stretch to his left to grab it one-handed behind his body.
🎶 Come on, Woody, let's go party (ah ah ah yeah) 🎶 #EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/5UewujrAmM
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 28, 2023
Both Labuschagne and Wood were left in disbelief after Joe Root completed his catch, and while the latter came running in and hugged Root in excitement, Labuschagne had to take the long walk back to the dressing room.
Joe Root gets Carey
The heroics from Joe Root on Day 2 of the Oval Test didn’t end with the stunning catch, as he set up a beautiful trap to get rid of wk-bat Alex Carey.
Root bowled a couple of good length deliveries to keep Carey hush, and then dished out two deliveries full and outside off, luring the wk into big shots.
Though Alex hit the first one out of the park, the second one (slower through the air) deceived him in his drive, as he popped a simple catch to England captain Ben Stokes stationed at short mid-off.
Carey’s scalp, regardless, was only one of the 6 that England managed before Tea on Day 2, as a helpless Steve Smith watched his team crumble from the other end.
Smith (70* off 121) has found an able ally in Pat Cummins (21* off 52) and the duo has added 52 runs for the 8th wicket as AUS stand in a precarious position (238 for 7), 45 short of England’s first innings total.