SK Play Of The Day: Ben Laughlin takes stunner to dismiss Melbourne Renegades skipper Aaron Finch
What’s the story?
As the two bottom-placed sides in the Big Bash League, the Adelaide Strikers, and the Melbourne Renegades faced up against each other in the penultimate game of their respective campaigns, there was pride at stake as neither side wanted the ignominy of finishing last.
It then helps when your 34-year-old fast bowler takes this catch to dismiss the opposition’s skipper –
The Melbourne Renegades were off to a flier and were threatening to put the game beyond the reach of the Strikers when Ben Laughlin sprinted back and timed his dive to perfection to hold onto the catch.
In case you didn’t know...
The group stage of the BBL is coming to a conclusion and it has been an awfully disappointing season for both the Strikers and the Renegades, who have registered two wins apiece. With just two games to go in their campaigns, they can only hope to spoil someone’s else chances, and not harbour any hopes of success themselves.
Aaron Finch is the Renegades’ skipper and one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket at the top of the order. Ben Laughlin is a medium-fast paced bowler from Victoria who represented Australia in 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is.
The heart of the matter
The BBL has been an absolute treat this season with incredible performances from the players, and the pyrotechnics from the organizers to boot, making it an enormous success.
The Renegades had raced to 55 – 0 within the first 5 overs, and with Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch at the crease, looked set for a score way beyond 200. Michael Neser had run in and bowled the delivery on a length outside off, Finch went through with the shot but didn’t connect very well, with the bat turning in his hand.
It had scooped over the head of extra cover, and for a second, Finch must have thought he had survived. That was before Laughlin put in a miraculous effort to sprint towards the ball and put it the dive to gather it at full-stretch.
Sportskeeda’s take
It simply doesn’t get better than that. To have the ability to keep your eyes on the ball while running at full speed, and managing to time your dive at the perfect time, and holding on, is simply unbelievable.
Mind you, we enjoyed the celebration a fair bit too.
Take a bow, Ben Laughlin.