CT Flashback: When a Lynn-sane catch changed the game for KKR

If you remember memorable debuts for teams, and you don’t remember Chris Lynn’s debut for the Kolkata Knight Riders, you are sinning. Because the 24-year-old sure had a memorable one. He first helped KKR with the bat as he went on to score 45 from 31 balls and sharing an 80-run partnership with Jacques Kallis. Then, he pulled off an impossible-looking catch with such ease and magnificence that it still looks superhuman every time you watch it. It was so brilliant a catch that it overshadowed his contribution with the bat, but Lynn would not have been upset that night.

The screamer against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2014 perhaps goes down as one of the most incredible catches in IPL history, more so because it was a game-changing, infact, a match-winning one. AB de Villiers was out there doing what he usually does, helping his side by guiding them in a chase. It was a thrilling last-over finish, and nothing could have stopped the South African if not that Lynn-sane catch.

Cricketer, gymnast, or pure superhuman?

With six runs needed off the last three balls, the advantage would lie with the batsman. But this was no ordinary day, and it was no ordinary man. AB de Villiers had the edge over KKR until he dispatched Vinay Kumar to the deep mid-wicket fence. Lynn was lined up for the catch but, he slipped, fell, sat down, balanced himself and arched his body backwards – all in just a motion – to create one of the most memorable and prodigious catches in the IPL history. This one catch is what distanced RCB from a match-winning six, and a victory.

It was one of the most-talked about moments in the Indian Premier League 2014. The video of that catch had been shared and commented upon incessantly. The sheer accuracy and brilliance, as well as the degree of difficulty in completing the catch, was so spectacularly rare that it gave Lynn a reputation of his own.

If you were one of those people who watched that match, you would remember Lynn for spectacular catches, and spectacular catches for Lynn. The ball was lofted, but the elevation was not as perfect as de Villiers would expect it to be. Had it been so, there was no stopping RCB from getting those two points for itself in the Table.

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Lynn-sane written all over it

“There are diving catches, running backwards catches, against the light catches and there are reflex catches. Lynn’s effort was a sum of all of these.”

The catch that came Lynn’s way gave him time enough time to position himself. What was commendable is that even before the catch was taken, Lynn was swift to recover in spite of slipping when trying to position himself for taking the catch. He kept his eyes on the ball, arched backwards and held on to the ball and did well to avoid the ropes. It was body control at its best.

It was a combination of brilliant fielding and immaculate death bowling as Kolkata Knight Riders staged a dramatic comeback to pull off a two-run win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in a nail-biting last-ball finish. But, it’s safe to say that it was Lynn who changed the game. Some win the matches single handedly with the bat, some with the ball, and some just purely with their fielding.

For a moment, the world stood still as Chris Lynn switched roles from a cricketer to an acrobat. Its importance reflected in its after-effects as it kept Kolkata Knight Riders in the game, eventually leading to a victory.

Watch the video here: