Marnus Labuschagne has stunned cricket fans and experts alike with an incredible catch to dismiss England’s Ollie Pope on Saturday.
With the tourists chasing a world-record 435 for victory, Australian skipper Pat Cummins struck with two early wickets to send opener Ben Duckett and Pope packing.
But it was Labuschagne’s full dive to his left to snatch the ball up just millimetres from the grass below that became the biggest talking point.
It comes just one week after his good friend and teammate Steve Smith claimed a similar catch
Smith took a sensational, diving, left-handed catch at first slip to dismiss England’s Will Jacks during the second Ashes Test in Brisbane last week.
It was a moment declared as one of the greatest slip catches of all time by fans and experts alike and a potential series-defining moment for Australia.
Marnus Labuschagne celebrates taking a spectacular catch to dismiss Ollie Pope on day four of the third Ashes Test against England
Fans and experts were left stunned as Labuschagne dived to his left and kept the ball from hitting the grass
Until Labuschagne produced a similar – and possibly better – moment of brilliant just one week later.
‘There’s the edge, oh what a catch!’ Mark Howard screamed in commentary on Fox Sports
‘We saw Steve Smith [last week in Brisbane], Marnus gets the Australians up and about.
‘He played and missed, he played and missed, he played and missed [and then] the edge.
‘And then Marnus plucks one of the best catches of his career.’
On Channel 7, English legend David ‘Bumbles’ Lloyd heaped praised on Labuschagne for his effort.
‘Absolute stunner, this,’ he said.
‘You could sense the wicket coming. It was building up. High-class, world-class bowling.
It was a similar catch to the one Steve Smith took in Brisbane, which was equally athletic
‘The batsmen feeling for the ball, beaten outside off stump. You need a response from that slip cordon.
‘We talked about the third slip, that is where it is going to go, shoulder or top of the bat going down, left- handed. It is a stunner.’
Labuschagne himself said the catch was all instinct.
‘There’s not much to tell,’ he said during the drinks break after his amazing catch.
‘It’s just one of those ones you sort of sit back after the catch and try to work out how it actually happened.
‘It happened so quickly it feels like a bit of a blur at the moment.’
The enigmatic Aussie had a huge reaction to the catch, and said he was trying to copy the celebrations Smith delivered when he took his classic catch in Brisbane.
‘Yeah, I carried on, I was trying to run to Smudger who wasn’t on the field, after his epic catch last week,’ Labuschagne said.
Labuschagne said he went looking for Smith in the celebrations but forgot he was not on the field
There have been many great catches in Ashes history.
Andrew Strauss created one of the Ashes’ most replayed moments in 2005 with a full-length, one-handed slip catch off Andrew Flintoff at Lord’s.
Glenn McGrath showed his own brand of brilliance in the 2002 Ashes when he juggled a difficult chance before regaining control and completing the catch, holding his nerve as the ball threatened to spill free.
David Boon was central to another iconic moment in 1994 when he dived forward at short leg to take the catch that sealed Shane Warne’s Ashes hat-trick, a clean take that locked in one of the most memorable spells in Test history.
And now Labuschagne has entered the conversation along with Smith.
Adam Gilchrist asked Labuschagne where he thought it ranked.
‘What did you come up with? I am more interested in your opinion,’ he said with a laugh.
Gilchrist replied: ‘It was a pretty even split I reckon.’
Cricket fans from around the world came out in droves to celebrate his snag, no matter where it ranks.
‘What a catch by Marnus! That one-handed dive was pure class and shifted the game big time. Pope gone for 17 – tough break for England,’ one posted.
Another added: ‘Unreal athleticism – that catch will be replayed for years.’
‘Marnus Labuschagne took a catch of his career in the slips wow… that ball was traveling.’
