There are perhaps no better demonstrators of the fact that playing cricket is an art than wily spinners who lay elaborate traps and lure batsmen in with deceptive boobytraps. Reeza Hendricks’ experienced it firsthand on Wednesday after being bowled through the legs by Adil Rashid England showed great character to spring back from a tough position against South Africa in the final ODI on Wednesday in their bid to avoid a series whitewash.
After falling to 14/3, the team remarkably recovered to 346/7 thanks to centuries from Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan. Their bowlers carried on the momentum by showcasing brilliance with the new ball and continuing to take wickets at regular intervals to tighten the screws on the Proteas in a pressure some run chase who needed 70 from 64 balls with four wickets in hand at the time of writing.
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The returning Jofra Archer rediscovered his mojo with three brilliant scalps and while leg-spinner Adil Rashid was expensive, he delivered two crucial wickets for the side. In the 19th over, the leg-spinner was bowling over the wicket to a well-settled Reeza Hendricks who had already celebrated his half-century.
On the second ball, Rashid delivered a ball way down the legside from close to the stumps at a good length. The opener seemed to make a slight trigger movement forward but quickly rocked back to his feet in a moment of confusion.
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As the ball pitched, he was left completely stuck at the crease but luckily for him, the Kookaburra did not spin much. However, so much for luck, given the ball rattled into the inside of his thigh such that it forced to open his less which were close together. The ball somehow nutmegged Reeza in the narrowest of gaps and the huge selection ensured he was bowled between the legs in a humiliating fashion.
Here is the video of the delivery from Adil Rashid:
https://twitter.com/minibus2022/status/1620833983260139520?s=20&t=LlHPzVElv20nOu2L05_OLg
Twitterati, well aware of the brilliant performances of Adil Rashid, flooded social media with the spinner’s praise.
#cricket #ODI #SAvENG comedy dismissal for Reeza Hendricks – aiming a leg side shot, missing, and having the ball sneak through his legs and on to the stumps. SA 112-3 in the 19th over. Hendricks scored 52 off 61 balls.
— Thomas Sutcliffe (@aspitweets) February 1, 2023
https://twitter.com/TirukuralKaram/status/1620825648582520832?s=20&t=6cuM7XXSOIkS0H7kFe2Qxw
Reeza hendricks dismissal is exactly the state of #SA odi team and that's why they will have to play qualifiers. #crickettwitter #SAvENG
— AGK (@itzme_av) February 1, 2023
Reeza Hendricks bowled through shibobo. 🙆🙆. Well played though. #SAvENG
— Tat'uRadebe (@hlubizer) February 1, 2023
Reeza Hendricks has been fantastic for the Proteas unlucky not have played more games….#SAvsEng
— Mshana ka Brutus (@Khaye84) February 1, 2023
That’s such an unfortunate way to go for Reeza Hendricks 🤦🏽♂️.
— Basia (@tweetsbybase) February 1, 2023
Reeza Hendricks take a bow 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 50 up #SAvENG
— Ludwig (@tallboy_40) February 1, 2023
Cheap dismissal @reezahendricks 🥺. Just when you looked confident taking on the bowlers. Ag nee man🤦♂️ @ProteasMenCSA #SAvENG
— Mike Bok Muller 🇿🇦 (@mikeymuller73) February 1, 2023