Meg Lanning's horror moment stuns cricket world at Commonwealth Games
Meg Lanning was left ruing a dropped catch that robbed Alana King of a hat-trick as Australia thrashed Barbados at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday.
Despite producing a brilliant innings to guide Australia to a big win, skipper Lanning was left wanting to dig a hole in the middle of Edgbaston and crawl into it.
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With King on a hat-trick after two wickets in two balls, she thought she'd produced the goods when a simple chance went to Lanning at slip.
However the Australian captain grassed the chance despite the ball going straight to her at a comfortable height.
Nooooo!
Alana King on a hat trick ... and it's dropped!#B2022 | #BARvAUS pic.twitter.com/uA4AVDIooTβ 7Cricket (@7Cricket) July 31, 2022
Lanning remained on the ground with her head buried in the grass after the drop, while King was in shock.
"I'll have nightmares," Lanning said of the dropped chance, which went slightly to her right chest-high.
"I wanted to dig a hole and jump in as quick as I could.
"I don't know - I tried my best and I dropped it.
"I was just disappointed for Kingy. She was bowling so well and to let her down like that was not ideal."
Australia's nine-wicket victory was set up by King - who despite the drop finished with a career-best haul of 4-8 off four overs, while Tahlia McGrath had 3-13 off four overs.
King trapped Shakera Selman and Shamilia Connell lbw with successive deliveries with the third and fourth balls of her third over, and induced the edge from Keila Elliott with her next ball only to see Lanning spill the hat-trick chance.
"That's cricket right - no-one means to drop it or anything," King said of the missed chance.
"It's just the way the game goes, I'm happy that I can contribute in the way I can."
Cricket fans were left gobsmacked over Lanning's unfortunate blunder.
Has anyone checked on Fleming? He may be having flashbacks.
β Matthew Jones (@DrMatthewJones) July 31, 2022
To be fair, this is retribution from a Victorian against Kings of legspin.
β Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) July 31, 2022
π©π©π©
β Australian Women's Cricket Team π (@AusWomenCricket) July 31, 2022
If there was one person you wanted the hat-trick ball to go to it would have been Meg Lanning!
What a moment that would have been but still a comprehensive win for Australia over Barbados. #B2022 #CommonwealthGames https://t.co/2UTLrf3utuβ Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) July 31, 2022
Andddd Meg Lanning delivers another meme template! ππ #CWG22 pic.twitter.com/NurNvfEEVF
β Ritwika Dhar (@RituD307) July 31, 2022
Aussies make it two from two at Commonwealth Games
Lanning took out her frustrations on the Barbados bowlers as she hammered an unbeaten 36 off 21 deliveries, a knock which included sixes off consecutive balls in a Deandra Dottin over which went for 25 runs.
Alyssa Healy was unbeaten on 23 off 24 balls, the pair putting on an unbroken 63-run stand following the early loss of Beth Mooney to easily reel in Barbados' total of 64 with 71 balls to spare.
"I was just keen to contribute really," Lanning said.
"That over from Dottin I got a few loose balls to put away and I got a little bit of rhythm which was nice."
The win guarantees Australia a place in the semi-finals ahead of Wednesday's final group game against Pakistan.
With a number of different contributors over their opening two wins, Lanning said she was happy with how the team was building as it moved towards the pointy end of the tournament.
She also praised the hybrid wicket being used for the Commonwealth Games as being "really nice to bat on", though matches will revert to turf wickets for the finals.
with AAP
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