Watch: James Anderson dropped “an absolute sitter” to give James Rew a lifeline as Somerset secured a draw on the final day of their County Championship Division One game against Lancashire in Taunton.
Across his two-decade-long first-class career, Anderson has pouched over 150 catches, but few would have come as easy as Rew’s offering, a top-edge off an attempted sweep against Tom Hartley. Stationed at square leg, Anderson barely took a couple of steps as the ball ballooned towards him. What would have been a straightforward grab turned out to be a forgettable spill – Anderson just could not hold on, succumbing to his knees in anguish.
“Jimmy Anderson has dropped an absolute sitter. Straight up in the air from Rew, he’s gotten away with a massive life,” the on-air commentator said.
“There’s no excuse, there’s no rain, there’s no weird wind or anything… if someone dropped that in Sunday friendly cricket today, they would be absolutely slaughtered for it.”
Anderson’s drop came at a time when Lancashire were searching for quick wickets on the final day. At that point, Somerset were 138-4, the lead just 25, and Rew on 27.
Kasey Aldridge’s unbeaten 58, and contributions from Rew [47] and Tom Abell [40], helped Somerset survive the day, having finished the third evening on 41-0, still 72 runs in the arrears.
Watch the Anderson drop here:
https://twitter.com/somersetccc/status/1650180385576304640
