Sheffield Shield 2020-21: Tim Paine foxes Nick Larkin with street-smart stumping off Gabe Bell

Tim Paine foxes Nick Larkin: The veteran wicket-keeper from Tasmania played a significant role in dismissing the opposition batsman.

During the third day of the eighth match of the ongoing season of Sheffield Shield between Tasmania and New South Wales in Adelaide, Tasmania wicket-keeper batsman Tim Paine’s street-smart tactics saw him putting an end to New South Wales opening batsman Nick Larkin’s mammoth fourth first-class century.

It all happened on the last delivery of the 98th over when Larkin confidently left an impressive delivery from Tasmania pacer Gabe Bell. However, him continuing to hold his pose despite his feet being outside the crease didn’t go unnoticed for Paine.

Having collected the ball neatly, Paine under-armed it to the stumps where the batsman was technically short of his crease even when he had ample time to return back.

Larkin, who opened the batting with Daniel Hughes (0), played exceedingly well for a game-changing knock which saw him score 161 (292) with the help of 22 fours. That being said, no one playing or watching the match would have thought of Larkin getting dismissed in such a strange manner.

An unbeaten 189-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Sean Abbott (102 not out) and Mitchell Starc (86 not out) powered New South Wales to score 522/6 dec. in 139 overs and put forward a 348-run target.

With NSW pacer Trent Copeland dismissing the opposition’s opening batsmen in the second innings, Tasmania have to score an additional of 322 runs with eight wickets in hand to win this match.

Tim Paine foxes Nick Larkin

After making a really good 161, this is how Nick Larkin got out! 🙈@MarshGlobal | #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/fHK5zpr7Xd

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 10, 2020

How Twitterati reacted:

Don’t hold that pose🤦‍♂️ #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/ElfcMTJpBf

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 10, 2020

Paine’s me to say it, but the white line is not a strip of zinc to protect the grass from sunburn batsmen.
Nothing wrong here. I’m stumped and still Larkin over Tasmania not mankading the non striker in the incident. #sheffieldshield https://t.co/XldR3PhJ3I

— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) November 10, 2020

Extraordinary dismissal alert!

Nick Larkin is beaten by a beauty, holds his pose, but doesn’t realise his heel raises out of the crease as Tim Paine throws down the stumps#SheffieldShield

— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) November 10, 2020

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About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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