Tristan Stubbs celebrates catching Moeen Ali during the third T20 match between South Africa and England. Picture: Henry Browne/Getty Images
New Proteas player Tristan Stubbs announced himself to the world of cricket in his team’s first T20 match defeat to England early last week in the recently concluded three-match series after smashing a sensational 72 runs off 28 balls.
The Proteas lost the match by 41 runs, but they bounced back to win the second and third matches to capture the series on Sunday. And it was Stubbs who again grabbed the headlines, this time in Southampton, but not for his power-hitting but the catch he took to dismiss England’s Moeen Ali.
Seeing the ball looping into space, Stubbs takes a few steps to his left and then launches himself at the ball. At full length he sticks out his arm and grabs the catch.
The dismissal left England on 59 for four, and they wouldn’t recover as the Proteas won by 90 runs to win the match and series.
Cricket fans on Twitter went crazy for the catch.
The Hindustan Times called it “breathtaking”, Wisden said it was “Incredible”, while the ICC tweeted “Tristan Stubbs takes a blinder”.
Others on social media hailed “Superman” and said it was the best catch seen in a very long time.
The Proteas white-ball team have now completed their schedule in England, having drawn the ODI series 1-1, with one washed out match, and won the T20 series 2-1.
The T20 team will now face Ireland in two matches in Bristol on Wednesday and Friday.
The action then turns to the Test series against England, which starts on 17 August at Lord’s.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
