While the headlines were dominated by Australia’s Ashes Test victory at Lord’s, Ben Stokes’ remarkable century in vain, and the controversial run-out of Jonny Bairstow by Alex Carey, another prominent English player, Jos Buttler, managed to seize some attention with his astonishing catch during a T20 match.
In a recent T20 Blast encounter between Northamptonshire and Lancashire in Manchester, Lancashire’s wicket-keeper, Jos Buttler, executed a breathtaking one-handed diving catch to dismiss Northamptonshire batsman Ricardo Vasconcelos. The catch was taken off the bowling of left-arm pacer Luke Wood.
The 32-year-old Jos Buttler, who leads England in white-ball cricket, pulled off a sensational catch that sent social media into a frenzy. As Luke Wood delivered a length ball, it extracted extra bounce and caught the outside edge of left-handed Ricardo Vasconcelos’ bat, resulting in the ball flying to Buttler’s left.
Jos Buttler swiftly reacted, accurately judging the trajectory of the ball, and executed an athletic dive, snatching the ball with his left hand just inches above the ground. He exhibited tremendous composure by maintaining a firm grip on the ball even after making contact with the ground.
Meanwhile, Jos Buttler’s stature in T20 cricket continues to soar, as reports suggest that he has been presented with the most lucrative T20 contract in franchise history by the Rajasthan Royals. The deal encompasses his participation in multiple Royals’ teams. Presently, Buttler represents RR in the IPL and the sister franchise Paarl Royals in South Africa’s SA20 competition. However, he is not currently associated with the Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League.
WHAT A CATCH BY JOS BUTTLER.pic.twitter.com/e60rQ0BGlp
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 3, 2023
Although the formal announcement from RR is pending, it is reported that this multi-year agreement, involving multiple franchises, would require Buttler to sever ties with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Undoubtedly, the deal offered by RR will surpass Buttler’s existing contract with the ECB in terms of financial terms. Nevertheless, he will unquestionably continue to lead the English team.