NZ vs AUS | Twitter laughs as Henry's comical juggling act leaves frantic Carey bewildered

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Given the sole focus of a player during a Test match is the red cherry, not often are players left playing "where's the Kookaburra" when on the field. Yet such was the case on Friday after the ball absurdly pinballed around Matt Henry's body to make Alex Carey act like a deer caught in headlights.

New Zealand suffered a dreadful top-order collapse on Day 2 at the Basin Reserve to hand Australia a huge first-innings lead of 204 despite Glenn Phillips' rapid knock of 71. The 27-year-old ended up as the only Kiwi batter to register a half-century and his 48-run partnership with tailender Matt Henry proved pivotal in helping the hosts cut down the deficit. However, the stand was fraught with danger throughout given the way the Kookaburra randomly spat up from the deck while ragging square at the whim of Nathan Lyon and the off-spinner had nearly managed to end the partnership prematurely were it not for Alex Carey being left in the dust by the seemingly magical red cherry.

Lyon pitched a length delivery on the off-side midway through the 36th over to Henry that turned in sharply to comprehensively beat the inside edge of the willow and thump into the batter's thigh. However, when the ball popped up thereafter, Henry failed to track its trajectory and nonchalantly lifted his bat while looking around for the Kookabura. Little did he realize it was right in front of him as the ball hit the back of Henry's bat to loop up onto his helmet before free-falling down on the pitch at a measured pace inches away from Carey's feet.

The wicket-keeper would have grabbed hold of the ball easily in ordinary circumstances but on this occasion was left clueless about the Kookaburra's whereabouts and hilariously scanned his environment with a semi-spin until the ball bounced off the surface and struck his pad. Lyon could not help but break into a wide grin given the sheer ridiculousness of the sequence of play and Twitterati joined in on the entertainment.

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