Steve Smith has continued to send warning signs to England ahead of the Ashes – this time taking a ridiculous one-handed catch before briefly wincing in pain.
After scoring a half-century in a dismal first innings display from NSW in their Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria, the 35-year-old then put his world-class fielding on display.
Standing at first slip to spinner Nathan Lyon, all-rounder Fergus O'Neill slashed at a delivery and the ball caught the edge of his bat and in a split-second, Smith stuck his hand out and reeled it in as his teammates were left stunned by the freakish moment.
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There were a few moments after the catch where Smith was clutching at a finger, but any concerns over an injury were quashed when he bowled the next over, albeit that the finger concern was not with his bowling hand.
It was Lyon's fifth wicket of the match after he bagged four in the first innings.
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Earlier in the first session, Sean Abbott tore through Victoria's top-order, including taking the wicket of Peter Handscomb for a second-ball duck.
The seamer is unlikely to feature in the Ashes series opener, but his effort against the Vics should keep his name firmly at the front of selector George Bailey's mind.
In the other Shield game unfolding on Wednesday morning, fellow Test hopeful Beau Webster continued his hot streak with the ball, claiming the prized scalp of Travis Head.
The all-rounder dismissed Head in South Australia's first innings and did it again in the second for just 15, before also knocking over wicket-keeper Alex Carey for 23.
It continued a troubling run of form for Head on the eve of the Ashes series next week, where he has now averaged 16.7 from his past 10 innings in all formats.
Webster took five wickets for Tasmania in the first innings as he pushes for a spot in the XI in the series opener at Optus Stadium, which begins on November 21.
Cameron Green – Webster's main rival for a spot in the Test team – will be in action for Western Australia later on Wednesday against Queensland.
Green took one wicket against the Bulls on day one of the Shield clash and is expected to have ball in hand once again for WA.
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