The Hundred 2024: Michael Pepper's off-balance throw nails Alex Hales short of crease
This remarkable display of glovework came just as Hales appeared primed to elevate his batting aggression to another level.
Each day of The Hundred 2024 is packed with jaw-dropping cricket that keeps the world hooked. The 83rd delivery of Match 20 between the Trent Rockets and the London Spirit on Wednesday was no exception.
Joe Root and Alex Hales were at the crease, with Nathan Ellis steaming in. As the pacer delivered one of his signature back-of-the-hand slower deliveries, following Root who had already moved away from the leg stump, Hales, determined to retain strike being the set batter in the middle with him being on 68 off 42 deliveries, urgently signalled for a single. He then sprinted towards the striker’s end, prompting wicketkeeper-batter, Michael Pepper, to execute a remarkably praiseworthy play for numerous reasons.
Watch the run-out here:
Not only did Pepper adeptly gather the ball cleanly directly in front of him, but he also executed an off-balance throw towards the stumps with his knees firmly planted on the ground. Remarkably, he did so while still wearing the gloves from his throwing hand, amplifying the absurdness of the rate and pinpoint precision he achieved. Hales was adjudged out, narrowly short of his ground, as confirmed by the big screen at the Trent Bridge.
However, during the run-chase, Pepper failed to make a significant impact, contributing a mere two runs before being dismissed off a lofted shot to backward point. This added to the woes of the 26-year-old, as his underwhelming form with the bat persisted in this edition.
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Ultimately, the Spirit fell short by 22 runs, a shortfall largely attributed to Rashid Khan's exceptional performance, who delivered a four-wicket haul to deliver a decisive blow to the Spirit, resulting in their fourth defeat in five matches.
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