Sydney Sixers batsman Jordan Silk has lit up the opening night of the BBL with a sensational fielding effort that even left Glenn Maxwell impressed.
Silk’s stunning effort was the highlight of the night for the Sixers, who were left lamenting a late batting choke which allowed the Hobart Hurricanes to take the season-opener by 16 runs.
The acrobatic stop on the boundary line came in the 15th over of the Hobart Hurricanes’ innings, with Hurricanes big-hitter Colin Ingram well set on 55.
Ingram attempted a slog sweep off Sixers spinner Steve O’Keefe and connected sweetly with the ball looking like it was flying over the boundary line.
However, Silk flung himself over the boundary line, managing to cleanly catch the ball with his right hand before having the presence of mind to throw the ball back into play before he landed over the boundary.
“Jordan Silk flew like superman! I reckon he’s saved four runs there,” Aussie great Adam Gilchrist said on commentary for Fox Cricket.
“That’s remarkable what he’s done there,” co-commentator Mark Howard added.
Silk’s incredible effort was reminiscent of Steve Smith’s effort to deny Virat Kohli a six during the second T20 international between Australia and India earlier in the week.
Despite surviving being caught by Silk, Ingram found himself dismissed just balls later, before a rapid Tim David innings of 58 off 33 deliveries lifted the Hurricanes to 8-178.
After losing Josh Philippe early in the chase, the Sixers looked to be cruising to an easy win during a 116-run partnership between James Vince (67) and Jack Edwards (47).
–However, after Vince fell LBW to Faulkner in the 14th over, the Sixers managed to score just 45 runs in the final seven overs of the contest.
Faulkner was the pick of the bowlers for Hobart, showcasing why he is still one of the most valuable T20 cricketers in the world with figures of 2-22 off his four overs.
Paceman Riley Meredith also starred with two wickets of his own, finishing with figures of 2-29 in his four-over spell, in which a number of deliveries neared 150km/h.
Sydney will also be left ruing a crucial batting order error, where skipper Daniel Hughes promoted himself ahead of noted big-hitting duo Dan Christian and star import Carlos Brathwaite, before managing to score just nine runs off his 12 deliveries.
Silk’s effort sent social media alight, with Australian star Glenn Maxwell even chiming in.
–
