Watch: Umpire Rob White pulled off an impressive, comical slide during the third women’s T20I between England and Sri Lanka.

England had predictably gone one-up in the three-match series with a win in the first T20I, at Hove. In a rain-hit match interrupted by multiple adjustments, England put up 186-4 in 17 overs and restricted Sri Lanka to 55-3 in six overs to win by 12 runs.

Chamari Athapaththu impressed with 4-0-25-1 and a 10-ball 15, but she would improve as the series progressed.

She opened bowling at Chelmsford and took out Danni Wyatt to finish with 1-11 as England were bowled out for 104. Then she slammed 55 in 31 balls as Sri Lanka Women won their first ever T20I against England.

In the decider at Derby, she returned 3-21 before blazing away to a 28-ball 44 at the top top set up the platform. Anushka Sanjeewani, her opening partner, followed suit as well, but Sri Lanka had the chase under control: they needed 24 in 49 balls with eight wickets in hand.

Danielle Gibson bowled the last ball of the 13th over to Vishmi Gunaratne, who played the ball to mid-wicket. As Harshitha Samarawickrama and Gunaratne ran for the single, the throw came at the non-striker’s end.

White tried his best to get out of the way of the throw, but did not realise that he was about to intercept Heather Knight, who had been backing up. In the end, he had to pull off an impressive slide to get out of the way.

“Had a choice to make, didn’t he? Hit the ground or take out the England captain… I think he made the right one,” quipped the commentator.

Sarah Glenn bowled Gunaratne four balls later, but Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera ensured a historic series win for Sri Lanka.

Watch umpire Rob White pull off his slide:

Don't laugh, don't laugh…LOL 😂#EnglandCricket #ENGvSL pic.twitter.com/11EJChbhjO

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 6, 2023

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