Shannon Gabriel’s place in cricket internet folklore was sealed long ago when he tried to smash Yasir Shah out the park when attempting to save a Test and series against Pakistan in 2016.
The failed heave over leg, totally uncalled for given the game situation with the tail-ender needing to face just one ball before handing over to Roston Chase to see out the last over, was made all the more comical by Fazeer Mohammed’s iconic line on commentary that asked what all cricket fans were thinking, “Why did he do that?”
Today, another moment of misfortune for Gabriel provided light relief for onlookers who had little to get excited about in the first part of day two in Manchester as Dom Sibley compiled one of England’s slowest ever Test centuries.
Shannon Gabriel will not want to watch this one again.#ENGvWI
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 17, 2020
With England on 439-9, miscommunication between Stuart Broad and Dom Bess looked to have left the former well short of his ground as Bess pushed for two. The throw in from the outfield was accurate enough and Gabriel had enough to time to take a stride towards the stumps and dislodge the bails. Instead, he needlessly flicked the ball towards the stumps from a few yards out and inexplicably missed. England fans on social media were quick to draw parallels to Nathan Lyon’s missed run out opportunity at a pivotal moment in England’s one-wicket win at Headingley last year.
Shanon Gabriel channelling his inner Nathan Lyon there
— Michael English (@mikeenglishcfc) July 17, 2020
Gabriel’s missed chance ended up costing West Indies 29 runs as Bess and Broad put on 42 for the final wicket.
