3 Incidents where Australia was involved in questionable catches in recent times

Cricketers often find themselves entangled in controversial situations that have an impact on both the sport of cricket and the individuals concerned. Let’s take a look at the three occasions where Australia was involved in dubious catches recently.

1. Steve Smith and Joe Root

Arch-rivals Australia and England had a captivating Day Two of the second Ashes Test, and Steve Smith of Australia showed his catching expertise by pulling off a spectacular catch of England star Joe Root. The top-order batter had faced a bouncer from star pacer Mitchell Starc in the 46th over of England’s batting during the final session. The ball remained in the air for a while until the former Australia skipper Smith, who was standing square-leg, ran in and jumped forward to catch it. The stylish right-handed batter appeared not to be satisfied by the catch and sought the on-field umpires’ verdict. Marias Erasmus, the third umpire, was brought in to have a look over the catch. After meticulously reviewing several replays, Erasmus deemed that the 34-year-old Smith had caught the catch.

2. Shubman Gill and Cameron Green

Indian star opener Shubman Gill got caught at a key moment on day four of the just-ended World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval. Gill got caught by Australia’s star all-rounder Cameron Green at the gully, triggering some confusion. Notably, third umpire Richard Kettleborough undertook an extensive investigation before declaring Gill out. Meanwhile, his game had been ended by an awkward catch by the 24-year-old Green. This was another example of a cricket law being challenging for fans to digest, notably those who get emotional while watching.

3. Mitchell Starc and Ben Duckett

In the final moments of Day 4 of the second Ashes Test on Saturday, iconic Australian pacer Mitchell Starc disputed a third umpire’s verdict to rule Ben Duckett not out. The stylish left-handed batter tried to smash a ball while batting at 50; however, the ball smacked into a thick top edge, prompting it to bounce to the left of the fine leg. Notably, Australia believed it had obtained a much-needed fifth wicket when Mitchell Starc, a left-arm bowler, took Ben Duckett’s catch at the fine leg boundary. The 33-year-old caught the ball with both hands while still on his knees and uses one hand to stop himself from falling. The third umpire determined that the grab was unfair since it touched the ground. The decision unavoidably sparked a lengthy argument between cricket fans and former players, given that the star seamer made the catch with the ball barely a few inches from the ground’s surface.