WATCH | Tom Banton challenges Joe Root with mind-boggling reverse-swat six in T20 Blast

06/20/2023

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Regardless of the success rate, when one player keeps hitting the same shot on the field, it becomes the talk of the town. Nowadays, Joe Root has the habit of playing reverse sweeps against any bowler, and Tom Banton did something insanely similar in T20 Blast to give him a fitting challenge.

Somerset registered their eighth victory of the Vitality T20 Blast 2023 with a comfortable seven-wicket victory over Kent in Chelmsford on Monday. They completed a 187-run chase in just 16.3 overs, and their top five – Tom Banton (42), Will Smeed (36), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (28), Tom Abell (40*), and Sean Dickson (30*) – all chipped in with handy contributions to get the job done. However, a shot that Banton, the top-scorer, hit stood out above everything, and no wonder, there was an epic comparison that began to emerge between him and his countrymate Joe Root.

It was the second ball of the fifth over, bowled by left-arm quick Paul Walter, which was pitched at good length outside the leg stump. Banton made up his mind before even the ball was released, and picked the ball perfectly while attempting to reverse swat before sending it over backward point for a six.

Although it was not totally similar, Banton’s reverse swat reminded everyone of Joe Root, who kept trying to hit reverse-sweep against a fearsome Aussie pace attack, consisting of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland while batting during the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston. In fact, the former English skipper started to play the shot ever since he stepped down from the captaincy and the Bazball took over under Ben Stokes.

Here's the Tom Banton's reverse-swat: