You don’t often see a teammate take down his player with a throw that would make a baseball pitcher proud. And that was exactly what happened on day two of the first Test match between England and India at Headingly. Ben Duckett’s throw was a missile directly into Harry Brook’s ribs. It happened quickly enough that it left fans, teammates, and even the opposition aghast! Some were awed with concern, others awed in fits of hysterics. Test cricket can be a grind, but it is moments like these that remind us it can throw up surprises.
A Throw Too Fast, A Duck Too Late
Let’s observe this strange moment of cricket. Harry Brook seems to be holding his side and grimacing. In the 98th over of India’s innings, Rishabh Pant had pushed a ball wide of slips and set off for a clever single. Duckett was fielding at point; he was running in and had made a flat missile throw at the striker’s end, attempting to catch Shubman Gill short. The speed of the throw was incredible!
Brook, who was at the slip and backing up, tried to duck (not for being a duck) at the last instant, but unfortunately for him, he didn’t duck in time. He crumpled straight away, and you can be sure everyone watching on the field, and the Indians in the pavilion, were asking whether he was alright. That was a compelling reminder of how the adrenaline kicks in in situations like this, sometimes not only putting your teammates in jeopardy.
Brook Bounces Back—With a Smile
The best part? Brook was alright. He had a short rest on the bench and a cautious walk to the boundary before showing up on the field again, smiling, possibly a part of amusement and bravado. It’s never the best situation to be taken out by your own team, but at least Brook was back as quick as a flash to show that whilst it looked bad in the moment, it had not damaged him as badly as it looked then.
This, however, has bigger implications: the pressures of Test cricket, particularly on a hot day, having bowled 100-plus overs TOGETHER in the field. Tempers may not be fraying, however, that mix of pressure and fatigue can create odd things when the rudder comes off in pressure situations. Duckett’s throw came from the right emotion, trying to break the hugely strong India partnership; however, he could also have cost one of his soldiers being a part of the fight.
England’s Toil in the Heat & the Road Ahead
The macro view here is about England’s position in the Test. After winning the toss and putting India into bat, England have been floundering in the sun for over 100 overs and have hardly any reward for their efforts. India, on the other hand, has been at full pelt, batting-wise. Gill, Pant, and some others got stuck on a flat track and the bright sunny skies.
Duckett and Brook will be crucial when England finally get the bat in hand. We may find this all to be an amusing footnote to the day, but England cannot have mental or physical lapses when the time comes to chase down the big total India will inevitably put on. Brook, in particular, will be scrutinized not just for his ribs but for how he undertakes his recovery and batting task.
As England try to claw their way back into the game, one question remains: can Brook and Duckett now provide a different headline reason, using a bat? So, let us know in the comments—was this an unfortunate incident or a sign of the pressure already on the fielders from England?
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