Watch: Sophie Ecclestone claimed a diving one-handed catch in her follow through to dismiss wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh during the second India-England T20I on Saturday (December 9).
Ghosh was dismissed for four, falling to a caught-and-bowled by Ecclestone, who dived to her left to take a controversial low catch. The ball was on off-stump and Ghosh looked to play it back on the front foot. It kept low and was going past the bowler, but Ecclestone leapt down in time, extended her bowling arm and managed to hold onto the ball.
However, as she completed the catch, a portion of the ball potentially grazed the grass. The third umpire, however, was confident that Ecclestone caught it cleanly, and ruled Ghosh out after watching a few replays.
The grab was reminiscent of Mitchell Starc’s non-catch of Ben Duckett during the 2023 Ashes at Lord’s where the umpire ruling the Australia quick had pressed the ball into the turf as he slid and before he gained complete control of the catch. Duckett was eventually given not out, with the MCC clarifying that the right decision was made. In this instance, it wasn’t totally clear whether or not the ball grazed the turf before Ecclestone had full control of her movement.
The absurd level of skill to keep fingers under the ball on full stretch, in your follow through no less…this is a special return catch from Sophie Ecclestone 👏👏👏pic.twitter.com/upNNz8GbiO
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) December 9, 2023
India were in deep trouble as it is and then Sophie Ecclestone comes into the attack and pulls off this blinder of a return catch. Stunning. #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/IN8qo0iQat
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) December 9, 2023
India were shot out for 80 and have lost the T20I series.