Cooper Connolly Grabs a Screamer To Dismiss Michael Neser In Sheffield Shield 2025/26 Fixture [WATCH]

Catches win matches! And there’s no need to explain it to Cooper Connolly, who has already taken that statement to heart, maybe for years to come. The 22-year-old grabbed a stunning catch just inches away from the boundary line on Day 1 of the Sheffield Shield 2025/26 fixture between Queensland and Western Australia.

The incident took place on the last ball of the 84th over of the first innings on the opening day of the match. Michael Neser lofted a short-pitched delivery that was outside off over point. The ball was cruising in the air and could have gone on for a maximum. But then, Connolly was ready at deep point, with the statement ‘catches win matches’, up his sleeve.

Though the match is far from being won, Connolly helped his team break an important partnership which was 77 runs in the making. To add to that, Western Australia did well to come back into the game after Queensland got off to a great start. The former team stands last on the points table, just beneath South Africa, with both teams yet to win a game this season.

Watch the stunning grab by Cooper Connolly, who had to run a bit in the backward direction to get into the position to take the catch. Eventually, he was just inches short from the boundary line.

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Why the Catch From Cooper Connolly Was Crucial

More than the catch, it was all about the time it occurred in the game. Michael Neser was batting on a well-made 38, and easily could have taken the game away from Western Australia. Thus, it was important for the bowling team to close the game on a high in order to deny momentum to the Queensland batters going into Day 2.

After being put into bat, the visitors looked like they always wanted to bat on the surface provided by Western Australia at W.A.C.A. Matt Renshaw brought up a wonderful century, scoring 101 runs in 158 deliveries. His knock was well crafted and it contained eight boundaries and two maximums.

But the highlight of the day for Queensland would be skipper Marnus Labuschagne who scored a gritty 50 off 87 deliveries with six boundaries in the innings. Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne and Michael Neser contributed with scores of 30+ as the Queensland batting camp were restricted to 323/6 at the end of the opening day of the clash.

For the hosts, Cameron Gannon shone with the ball, taking four wickets in his 18 overs at an economy of three runs. Additionally, Cameron Green and Aaron Hardie both pitched in with a wicket each. But at the end of the day, it was Cooper Connolly with his heroics which uplifted the Western Australians.

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