England spinner Jack Leach picked up another bizarre wicket in the third and final Test against New Zealand after Neil Wagner was caught by Sam Billings between his legs.
On day one, Leach got Henry Nicholls out caught at mid-off for 19 after the ball deflected off his own teammate's bat. It was a freakish dismissal and one that led Leach to brand cricket a "stupid game" when reflecting on the wicket.
And he got another slice of luck on day four when Billings, drafted into the side as a Covid replacement for Ben Foakes, somehow managed to cling on to a catch. After Wagner edged the ball, it hit Billings in the chest and looked set to go down as a drop.
However, he quickly managed to snap his legs together to prevent the ball from hitting the ground and send Wagner on his way for a duck. The wicket was the second to fall in that over to Leach, with the 31-year-old bowling a double wicket maiden.
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special, former England spinner Vic Marks joked: "It's lodged in between his legs. It's not a classical take.
"Bob Taylor didn't do it like that. But it's good enough for Billings." Reacting to the catch on social media, one fan wrote: "I have never ever seen something like this before."
Another added: "What's with this series and crazy catches?" A third joked: "Doesn’t matter how they go".
Leach has enjoyed a brilliant Test, picking up a five-wicket haul in both innings and ten wickets in the match for the first time in his England career. New captain Ben Stokes has backed him to deliver and Leach has rewarded his skipper's show of faith.
"I'm absolutely delighted for Jack Leach," ex-England spinner Phil Tufnell said. "He looks like he's enjoying himself and the Western Terrace is getting behind him."
