Can a stunner of a catch taken on a cricket field inspire a nation to get its act together in other fields? Harleen Deol's acrobatic marvel of a dismissal of Amy Jones in a T20I match between India and England at Northampton wasn't watched live by too many, but went 'viral' the old-fashioned way—over the internet—on Saturday to a rousing reception. Women's cricket has rarely had such a burst of digital applause across the country.
Jones had struck hard to loft the delivery for a long-off six, and it would easily have crossed the boundary, had it not been for Deol's determination. Deol 'caught' the ball on its way out, flung it back into play, even as momentum pushed her out, only to dive back into the field and catch it once and for all. As catches go, it was easily among the most fabulous ever.
It would serve us well if that clip's virality inspired India to keep a spiky little ball of real menace in control. We've just seen a huge slip-up on coronavirus, and now that this bug's on an apparently lighter loop in the air, we must throw ourselves at it and finish the task. That would be the catch of the century.
