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Sri Lanka v England

Watch: Bess takes bizarre wicket after powerful sweep ricochets off Bairstow’s heel

Bess Bairstow
by Wisden Staff 2 minute read

Watch: In an innings that was replete with bizarre dismissals, Dom Bess claimed his third wicket after a sweep shot ricocheted off short leg’s heel and ended up in the wicketkeeper’s gloves.

The dismissal occurred in the 43rd over of Sri Lanka’s innings in the first Sri Lanka-England Test at Galle. Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka’s No.7, attempted a wild sweep off Bess, making ample contact with the length ball, but only managed to find Jonny Bairstow, taking evasive measure, at short leg.

Bairstow, in an attempt to get out of harm’s way, turned and jumped, only for the ball to ricochet off his left heel and balloon up in the air.

With Bairstow having taken away all the sting off the shot, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler did the rest, easily gobbling the lobbed up rebound.

While the rest of the team began celebrating, Bairstow hobbled away from the pitch and got down on all fours, the pain seemingly settling in. After getting brief medical attention on the ground, he walked off the field with his ankle being iced. He recovered quick enough to bat at No.3 in England’s first innings.

You can watch the dismissal here:

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