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DWAYNE LEVEROCK’S STUNNING ONE HANDED CATCH
Wearing Number 99 on his back, a police-man by profession and weighing in at over 280lb (127kg) Bermuda’s Dwayne Leverock looked more at home in a rugby front row than a slip cordon – but India learned at the 2007 World Cup that looks can be deceiving.
GREATEST CWC MOMENT
Background
In its debut Cricket World Cup, Bermuda opened its campaign with a massive defeat to Sri Lanka, and was up next against an Indian team smarting from a shock loss to Bangladesh. India needed to win and win big, so the minnow on the big stage for the first time knew what it was up against, but that didn’t prevent the side from providing a truly memorable Cricket World Cup moment.
The Moment
Malachi Jones, the 17-year-old playing his first World Cup match bowled the second over of the day after Bermuda won the toss. His first delivery was a length ball just outside the off stump, which Uthappa prodded at nervously. The ball flew to the right of Leverock at wide first slip, and he responded with an athleticism unexpected from a patently overweight man, launching himself to his right to pull off a spectacular one-handed catch.
Perhaps astounded with his own feat, he then set off on a joyous, celebratory run to nowhere – screaming and blowing kisses at the crowd. The bowler, Jones, had also sprinted off in triumph, weeping with joy at getting a wicket off his first ball against a Test-playing nation, before being tackled by his team-mates.
In slow motion, the catch was all the more impressive with Leverock seeming to defy gravity as he soared through the air at full stretch to grab what is surely one of the greatest catches ever taken at a Cricket World Cup match. Known for his day job as a policeman for grabbing the bad guys in Bermuda, the man affectionately called ‘Sluggo’ by his mates, grabbed the great catch and sealed his place in Cricket World Cup folklore.
What happened next
There was very little for Bermuda to cheer after that as India set a slew of records on their way to a thumping victory. A Virender Sehwag century helped India pile on 413 for 5 - the largest total in the World Cup - and the 257-run margin of victory was a record for all one-dayers. Jones didn't get another wicket in the match as he was taken for 74 in seven overs, and Leverock's left-arm spin was smashed for 96 runs, the second most expensive 10-over spell in World Cup history as Bermuda exited the tournament. Still, the Leverock catch remains the most indelible and heart-warming moment in Bermuda cricket.
In its debut Cricket World Cup, Bermuda opened its campaign with a massive defeat to Sri Lanka, and was up next against an Indian team smarting from a shock loss to Bangladesh. India needed to win and win big, so the minnow on the big stage for the first time knew what it was up against, but that didn’t prevent the side from providing a truly memorable Cricket World Cup moment.
The Moment
Malachi Jones, the 17-year-old playing his first World Cup match bowled the second over of the day after Bermuda won the toss. His first delivery was a length ball just outside the off stump, which Uthappa prodded at nervously. The ball flew to the right of Leverock at wide first slip, and he responded with an athleticism unexpected from a patently overweight man, launching himself to his right to pull off a spectacular one-handed catch.
The Fridge has opened!! he’s flown like a gazelle……the earth shook, what a catch! Oh what a catch! The big man, he’s off and we get a dance as well!’David Lloyd on commentary as Dwayne Leverock pouches the stunning catch
In slow motion, the catch was all the more impressive with Leverock seeming to defy gravity as he soared through the air at full stretch to grab what is surely one of the greatest catches ever taken at a Cricket World Cup match. Known for his day job as a policeman for grabbing the bad guys in Bermuda, the man affectionately called ‘Sluggo’ by his mates, grabbed the great catch and sealed his place in Cricket World Cup folklore.
What happened next
There was very little for Bermuda to cheer after that as India set a slew of records on their way to a thumping victory. A Virender Sehwag century helped India pile on 413 for 5 - the largest total in the World Cup - and the 257-run margin of victory was a record for all one-dayers. Jones didn't get another wicket in the match as he was taken for 74 in seven overs, and Leverock's left-arm spin was smashed for 96 runs, the second most expensive 10-over spell in World Cup history as Bermuda exited the tournament. Still, the Leverock catch remains the most indelible and heart-warming moment in Bermuda cricket.
What a catch, what a moment in the history of this tournament as Jones races to the boundary in celebration and is mobbed by his exultant team-mates."
National Paper, The Bermuda Sun on March 20th, 2007
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