Watch: Teammates appeal for LBW; David Warner takes screamer inches off the ground

An explosive batter, David Warner has also been a livewire on the cricket field. The experienced Australian cricketer has been tremendous with his catching and boundary saves over the years. An example of Warner’s magnificent catching ability came on Day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Wednesday (June 28). 

Standing at first-slip to off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who was bowling at Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne, Warner took an incredible diving catch that not only exhibited his athleticism but also a very strong game awareness since it was a rebound off the pads amidst an LBW review. 

He dived in front and took the catch inches off the turf while the rest of the Australian players were busy going ahead with a shout for the leg before. Unbelievably alert to the inside edge that Lyon induced off Karunaratne’s willow, David Warner went for the catch and nailed it to perfection. 

David Warner’s remarkable diving catch from first-slip at Galle 

The excellent piece of catching from David Warner was seen near the halfway mark of the 30th over in the Sri Lakan first-innings at the picturesque ground at Galle. 

Batting on 28 off 83 balls at the time, Karunaratne had begun to set his eyes for a long haul when Lyon’s sharp arm-ball took his inside edge on a frontfoot defensive push and lobbed up in the air through a rebound from the pads. 

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The ball went up in the air ever so briefly, which – combined with a not-so-thick inside edge – made it almost unlikely that any of the close-in fielders would be aware and ready for the catching opportunity. But Warner took his chance and dived full-stretched to secure an important breakthrough for his side, only a few inches off the turf. 

Everyone went up for LBW.. David Warner kept his eye on the prize and took an absolute ripper! #SLvAUS pic.twitter.com/f7cdguPs39

— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) June 29, 2022

The moment he took the catch, David Warner instantly appealed for the catch while the rest of the Aussie stars went ahead and checked with the umpire if he is convinced about an LBW shout.

Standing umpire Kumar Dharamsena, however, was interested in the bat-pad appeal and went up to the on-side umpire Nitin Menon for a brief discussion. The duo decided to sent the matter upstairs and this is where a close-in review confirmed Karunaratne’s dismissal and Warner’s genius in the field.