Follow UsWhat’s the most rookie mistake you can make as a batter?
Harleen Deol could have just topped that, with a brain-fade run-out in India’s first ODI against England, on July 16 (Wednesday) at The Rose Bowl in Southampton. At 102/3, India looked so comfortable in their run chase of 259, with their No.3 Deol well set on 27 off 43 deliveries.
Nothing seemed to trouble the right-hander, as she effortlessly found the gaps and was giving company to skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who just walked out to bat. But that’s where, out of nowhere, the most diabolical dismissal cost the visitors big time.
With Charlie Dean just into the attack, it seemed like a perfect time for two right-handers to play the match-up game. But four balls into Dean’s first over, Harleen walked down the track and smashed the ball straight into the hands of Davidson Richards for a single.
At that point, everything seemed straightforward, as Deol was just motoring herself at the other end without much trouble, having got a head start after her shot. However, that’s when she did the worst possible thing, failing to ground the bat.
The 31-year-old English fielder did the rest, as she threw the ball straight at the stumps, catching Deol short of her crease. Neither her bat nor her feet were grounded as she walked back, shaking her head, almost in embarrassment as she was caught red-handed ball watching.
Out of nowhere, that wicket put England back into the contest.