Video | Hilton Cartwright left devastated as ball bounces off short-leg fielder’s helmet to go for a catch
Just as we tend to think that cricket has seen it all, along comes an incident that challenges that theory and shoots it down. Hilton Cartwright wouldn’t have thought in his wildest dreams that his well connected confident pull shot would end up making him look like the world’s unluckiest man.
Quite interestingly, it wasn’t until 2017 that the catch off helmet was considered a dismissal. However, such has been Cartwright’s luck that he was the first one to get out in such a manner two years after the laws were amended in wake of Phillip Hughes passing away.
Along with it were also mandated the use of best quality helmets for batsmen facing fast and medium pace bowling and also for wicketkeepers and fielders positioned close to the batters. And as they say, fortune favours the bold. Having full trust in the quality of the helmet now, Nick Larkin had no hesitation standing at the short leg, safe in the knowledge that he head was safe.
And he was right in thinking so for when Western Australia’s Cartwright struck Jason Sangha’s ball robustly to his leg, Larkin only had to duck in anticipation. The ball was seen ricocheting off his helmet before looping up for an easy catch, which Sangha caught with both hands to end Cartwright's stay in the middle.