Top 5 catches of Men's Hundred 2024 ft. Mitchell Santner
'Catches win you matches' - The Men's Hundred 2024 lived up to the phrase in totality. In a fast-paced tournament like The Hundred, fielding gets even more crucial, and catches thus played an important role in deciding the outcome of games throughout the competition.
The Oval Invincibles won the tournament by beating the Southern Brave by 17 runs on Sunday, August 18. They successfully defended 147 runs to take home back-to-back titles.
Fielding, meanwhile, went a notch higher in this year's Men's Hundred with players putting their bodies on the line to win matches for their sides.
On that note, let's take a look at the five best catches of Men's Hundred 2024.
#1 Mitchell Santner vs London Spirit
New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner is one of the most underrated cricketers in the world. He is known for chipping in with important performances with bat, ball, and in the field during clutch moments.
One such moment came during the Northern Superchargers vs London Spirit game. In the 11th over of the first innings, Spirit opener Michael Pepper lofted a Reece Topley delivery over Santner at mid-on.
He ran back and kept his eyes firmly on the swirling ball. The Kiwi cricketer covered a few yards before putting in a full-stretched dive to complete the catch.
Watch the clip here:
#2 Jacob Bethell vs Southern Brave
Jacob Bethell grabbed an extraordinary catch in the Men's Hundred 2024 Eliminator clash between the Birmingham Phoenix and the Southern Brave.
The incident took place on the 96th delivery of Brave's innings. James Coles flicked a length delivery from Sean Abbott, trying to clear the deep square leg fielder. The ball came from the middle of the bat and was destined to cross the boundary.
However, Bethell had other ideas in mind. He jumped full-length to grab the catch. His momentum almost took him over the rope, but he somehow managed to control himself to complete an excellent catch.
Watch the clip here:
#3 Andre Russell vs Oval Invincibles
West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell showcased his exceptional fielding skills during the London Spirit vs Oval Invincibles game. Although he has had injury issues in the past, which has restricted his movements, Russell is very sharp on the field when 100 percent fit.
The incident took place in the 18th ball of the second innings when Will Jacks tried to launch one over bowler Olly Stones' head. However, the English opener failed to time the ball cleanly and it went high up in the air. Russell ran back from the mid-off and stretched full-length to catch the ball. While doing so he lost his balance but controlled himself well to keep the ball in his hands.
Watch the clip here:
#4 Tom Banton vs Southern Brave
Tom Banton is the only wicketkeeper to feature on this list. The 25-year-old produced a stunning effort behind the stumps to impress fans across the world.
The incident took place in the 44th delivery of Southern Brave's run-chase against the Trent Rockets. John Turner bowled a length delivery on the leg side, as Leus du Plooy tried to glance it to the fine leg boundary. However, the shot went too fine and Banton produced a spectacular dive to grab the ball out of nowhere. The batter was left surprised as he walked back to the dressing room.
Watch the clip here:
#5 Mitchell Santner vs Oval Invincibles
Santner once again features on the list for his spectacular effort on the boundary against the Invincibles. This time, he plunged onto a catch inches in front of the boundary rope to dismiss England all-rounder Sam Curran.
The left-hander came down the track to dispatch a length delivery from Matthew Short. However, Curran couldn't get to the pitch of the ball and didn't get the required elevation and distance. The ball looked to land in no-man's-land, but Santner came charging in to pluck the ball out of thin air.
The Blackcaps cricketer put yet another full-length dive to catch the ball inches above from the ground.
Watch the clip here: